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JOHN  COOK  OF  BALTIMORE 


COMMERCIAL 

ROSE  CULTURE 

UNDER  GLASS  AND  OUTDOORS 


A  PRACTICAL  GUIDE  TO  MODERN  METHODS 

OF  GROWING  THE  ROSE  FOR 

MARKET  PURPOSES 


ILLUSTRATED 


BY  EBER  HOLMES 


NEW  YORK 

A.  T.  DE  LA  MARE  PRINTING  AND  PUBLISHING  Co.  LTD, 
1911. 


Copyright,  1911, 
A.  T.  DELAMARZ  PRINTING  AND  PUBLISHING  Co.  LTD. 


TO 

JOHN  COOK 

BALTIMORE,  MD. 

This  work  is  respectfully  dedicated 


To  him  the  rosarians  of  America  are  indebted  for  the  dissemi- 
nation of  much  knowledge  concerning  the  Rose  as  adapted  to 
American  culture,  and  its  commercial  possibilities.  To  him, 
also,  we  are  indebted  for  many  varieties  resulting  from  his  skill 
and  years  of  patient  labor  and  experiment  in  hybridization, 
among  them,  Souvenir  of  Wootten,  the  first  Hybrid  Tea  Rose 
raised  in  America,  Marion  Dingee,  Annie  Cook,  Mrs.  Robert 
Garrett,  Baltimore,  Enchanter,  Cardinal,  Madonna,  My  Mary- 
land, and  Radiance,  some  of  which  have  become  staples  in  the 
underglass .  production  of  Roses  for  the  requirements  of  the 
great  flower  markets.  The  liberality  with  which  his  knowledge, 
obtained  at  the  expense  of  countless  experiments  and  failures, 
has  always  been  placed  at  the  service  of  others,  has  endeared  him 
to  all  followers  of  his  craft,  one  which,  more  than  any  other, 
demands  the  acme  of  patience  and  self-sacrifice  in  order  to 
accomplish  lasting  results. 

"The  lyfe  so  short,  the  craft  so  long  to  lerne." 


271119 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 


For  photographs  from  which  several  of  our  illustrations  have 
been  made,  we  are  indebted  to  Henry  A.  Dreer,  Inc.,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.;  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn.;  E.  G.  Hill  Co.,  Richmond, 
Ind.;  Chas.  H.  Totty,  Madison,  N.  J.;  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Bureau  of  Plant  Industry,  Washington,  D.  C.;  Thos.  Rochford  & 
Sons,  Broxbourne,  England;  Hoopes  Bro.  &  Thomas  Co.,  West 
Chester,  Pa.;  John  A.  Payne,  Jersey  City,  N.  J.;  W.  J.  Palmer  & 
Son,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.;  Kroeschell  Bros.  Co.,  Chicago,  111.  We  are  also 
under  obligations  to  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  Bureau  of  Plant 
Industry,  Washington,  D.  C.,  for  permission  to  print  the  subject 
"The  Seedling-Inarch  and  Nurse-Plant  Methods  of  Plant  Propaga- 
tion," an  extract  from  Bulletin  No.  202,  and  to  Fred  Lauten- 
schlager  of  Kroeschell  Bros.  Co.,  Chicago,  111.,  for  notes  on  hot  water 
heating. 


CONTENTS 

(For  Classified  Index,  see  pages  161  to  165) 

Chapter  Page 

I.     Choosing  a  Location    12 

II.     Style    of    Houses    16 

III.  What  to   Plant    20 

IV.  Propagation,   Own    Root 24 

V.     Propagation    by    Grafting 31 

VI.  Hybridizing    41 

VII.  The  Seedling-Inarch  and  Nurse-Plant  Methods  of  Plant 

Propagation    48 

VIII.  Preparation  of  the  Soil  for  Planting 56 

IX.  General   Culture    63 

X.  Insect    Pests    71 

XI.  Fungous    Diseases    80 

XII.  Insecticides   and   Fungicides 85 

XIII.  Fertilizers    89 

XIV.  The  American  Beauty  Rose  95 

XV.  Rambler   Roses    100 

XVI.  Roses    Outdoors    110 

XVII.  Cost  of  Equipment  and  Returns   117 

XVIII.  Notes   on  Cutting,   Marketing,   Exhibiting,   Etc 120 

XIX.  General  Remarks    126 

XX.  Greenhouse   Construction   for    Rose   Growing 137 

XXI.  Steam  Heating  and  Engineering 144 

XXII.  Hot  Water   Heating   156 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

Rose  Lyon    11 

Double  White   Killarney    13 

Sunburst    15 

Lady    Hillingdon    17 

Frau    Karl   Druschki 19 

Mrs.  A.  R.  Waddell   21 

Measure    for    grading    Roses    -. 23 

A   three-eye   cutting    25 

A  one-eye  cutting   27 

A  three-eye  cutting  trimmed  ready  for  the  sand  bed 29 

A  cion  just  cut  off  the  plant   33 

Manetti  stock  ready  for  the  case   34 

Manetti  stock  cut  down  ready  to  receive  cion 36 

The  finished  grafted  plant  ready  for  the  case 39 


8  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Rose  Mrs.  Aaron  Ward    43 

Radiance   44 

Rose  seedlings,  tour  weeks  after  germination   49 

Rose    seedlings,     four    weeks    after    germination,    prepared    for 
inarching   50 

Rose  seedlings,  four  weeks  after  germination,  inarched  to  stocks 
of  the  Manetti   Rose    52 

Inarched  Rose  seedling,  showing  the  growth  made  in  two  months 
after  inarching    54 

Rose   Sunburst    57 

Killarney  58 

Dark  Pink   Killarney    62 

Killarney  Queen   66 

Richmond 67 

Dark  Pink  Killarney 72 

Mrs.  Taft    (Antoine   Rivoire)    73 

Double   Pink   Killarney    75 

Frau  Karl  Druschki   79 

Mrs.    Jardine     81 

Dorothy  Perkins   88 

Red  Killarney  91 

Frau  Karl  Druschki   94 

American    Beauty    97 

Double    Rugosa    99 

Rambler   Roses,  method  of  training 101, 102, 104, 105 

Rose,  Climbing  American  Beauty 107 

Baby   Rambler  in  pot    108 

Ulrich    Brunner    Ill 

White   Maman   Cochet    115 

Roses   packed    for   market    119 

Rose  Pink  Killarney 129 

Gruss  an  Teplitz 131 

Exterior  and  interior  views  of  greenhouses.  .135, 136, 138, 139,  141, 142 

Rose    Sunrise    143 

My  Maryland    147 

Bon    Silene 149 

Saf rano    151 

Stylosa    155 

Exterior  and  interior  views  of  houses  heated  by  hot  water  . .  157, 158, 160 

A  reference  index  to  all  subjects  mentioned  is  given, 
commencing  on  page  161. 


INTRODUCTION 

THIS  little  book  has  been  published  in  response  to  numerous 
requests  for  an  uptodate  work  on  commercial  Rose  cul- 
ture. It  will  not  delve  into  the  ancient  history  of  the  Rose  or 
indulge  in  long  descriptions  and  classifications  of  varieties. 
These  points  have  been  well  covered  by  previous  writers.  The 
author  will  endeavor  to  point  out  to  the  beginner,  the  small 
grower,  or  the  florist  with  a  retail  trade,  who  grows  a  few 
Roses  with  his  general  stock,  the  best  way  to  be  successful  in 
growing  good  Roses  under  glass  and  outdoors.  There  is  hard 
work  in  quantity  and  much  expense  in  modern  Rose  growing, 
but  the  pleasure  and  profit  derived  from  the  same  afford  ample 
compensation. 

The  magnitude  of  the  business,  as  compared  with  its  status 
of  twenty-five  years  ago,  is  surprising.  Parsons,  in  his  book  on 
the  Rose,  published  in  1881,  on  page  71,  speaking  of  the  ex- 
travagance of  Nero  in  spending  $100,000  for  Roses  for  one 
feast,  says:  "It  would  be  no  easy  matter,  even  at  the  present 
period  of  abundant  cultivation  of  Roses,  to  obtain  from  all 
the  nurseries  of  England,  France  and  America  together,  Roses 
sufficient  to  amount  to  so  large  a  sum."  Compare  these  words 
with  present  day  facts,  when  there  are  probably  as  many  Roses 
handled  in  any  one  of  our  largest  cities,  at  every  holiday,  as 
were  ever  seen  by  Nero  at  any  of  his  feasts ! 

The  question  was  asked  me,  a  few  months  ago,  "Why  is 
Rose  growing  in  the  hands  of  a  few  men,  while  Carnations 
are  tried  and  grown  (often  successfully)  by  every  beginner  in 
the  florist's  business?"  The  reply  generally  given  to  this  ques- 
tion is  that  Roses  require  more  care,  are  more  liable  to  diseases 
and  pests  likely  to  cause  failure,  that  a  night  man  must  be  kept 
by  the  Rose  grower,  and  that  the  general  expense  is  such  as 
to  bar  out  the  man  of  limited  means.  While  this  may  be  partly 


10      •'"'  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

true,  ft  is  often  exaggerated,  as  there  are  today  many  small 
Rose  growers  who  are  eminently  successful,  and  who  make 
more  money,  in  comparison  with  capital  invested,  than  some  of 
the  larger  ones  do. 

The  multitude  of  diseases  and  pests  may  be  narrowed  down 
to  about  half  a  dozen  serious  ones,  and  these,  in  turn,  if  under- 
stood and  taken  in  time,  may  be  so  controlled  that  little  harm 
will  result  from  them.  Neglect  of  proper  care  is  responsible 
for  the  majority  of  failures. 

Where  Roses  are  understood  and  properly  treated  their  cul- 
ture is  as  simple  as  that  of  other  florists'  flowers.  It  is  an  ad- 
vantage to  any  man  to  take  a  course  in  one  of  our  agricultural 
colleges,  or  to  work  a  few  years  in  one  of  our  modern  and  fully 
equipped  commercial  establishments.  Good  reading  is  also  to 
be  recommended,  but  the  beginner  will  find  he  will  learn  more 
after  a  few  years'  personal  experience,  with  the  responsibility 
on  his  own  shoulders,  than  he  would  in  a  much  longer  period 
where  he  is  watching  someone  else  do  the  work.  There  is 
something  new  and  interesting  to  learn  about  Rose  growing 
every  day.  The  care  required  is  constant,  and  the  old  saw, 
"Eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of  success,"  is  perhaps  more  true 
of  Rose  culture  than  of  any  other  branch  of  the  grower's  art. 

EBER  HOLMES. 
MONTROSE,  MASS.,  October,  1911. 


LYON  ROSE 
A  splendid  garden  and  exhibition  variety 

Courtesy  Henry  A.  Dreer,  Inc.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


CHAPTER  I 

CHOOSING   A   LOCATION 

THE  first  essential  when  locating  a  Rose  growing  estab- 
lishment is  good  soil  and  plenty  of  it.  Land  that  will 
grow  good  corn,  or  any  ordinary  garden  crop,  may  be  made 
to  grow  good  Roses.  Buy  as  much  land  as  you  can  afford  at 
the  start,  for  this  generally  proves  a  good  investment  in  any 
case.  Small  lots  of  land  will  do  for  the  town  florist  who  grows 
for  a  retail  trade  and  buys  a  large  part  of  his  goods,  but  for 
the  wholesale  grower  twenty-five  acres  is  about  as  small  an 
amount  of  land  as  it  is  wise  to  commence  with.  There  are 
successful  men  with  less,  but  most  of  them  would  like  to  ob- 
tain more  land,  as  they  feel  the  pressing  need  of  obtaining  an 
unlimited  amount  of  good,  fresh  soil  for  their  houses.  The 
most  ill  advised  action  any  man  can  take  is  to  buy  land  with  a 
lot  of  drawbacks  in  the  belief  that  he  can  overcome  all  the  ob- 
jections, later,  by  hard  work.  A  little  foresight  in  locating  is 
better  than  a  great  deal  of  hindsight  later  on. 

An  average  level  field,  large  enough  to  build  houses  east  and 
west,  at  least  300  feet  long,  is  desirable.  If  grading  on  an  ex- 
tensive scale  has  to  be  done  it  will  add  considerably  to  the 
first  cost  of  building,  at  a  time,  too,  when  it  is  necessary  to 
avoid  every  possible  extra  expense.  It  will  be  found  that  the 
cost  of  grading  will,  in  ordinary  cases,  be  about  one  dollar  for 
every  one  hundred  cubic  feet  of  material  used  if  the  haul  is 
less  than  half  a  mile  and  the  filling  easily  obtained.  In  some 
cases  all  that  is  necessary  is  to  remove  the  sod  and  loam  and 
erect  the  houses  without  any  filling.  The  ground  should  be 
high  enough  and  have  natural  drainage  so  that  it  will  not  lie 


ROSE  DOUBLE   WHITE   KILLARNEY 
The  coming  white  Rose.   Plant  all  that  you  can  of  this 

Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


14  COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 

under  water  at  any  time  of  the  year.  A  southeast  to  southwest 
exposure  is  the  best. 

If  a  natural  shelter  exists  on  the  north  and  northwest,  it 
is  well;  if  none  is  there,  it  is  advisable  to  plant  trees  which,  in 
a  few  years'  time,  will  make  a  windbreak.  The  water  supply 
is  important  and  should  be  one  of  the  first  considerations.  If 
a  stream  runs  through  the  property,  from  which  water  may  be 
pumped,  it  will  save  the  expense  of  driving  a  well  and  will 
possibly  give  water  on  which  Roses  will  thrive  better  than  on 
well  water.  I  do  not  mean  to  condemn  well  water,  for  it  is 
generally  used  with  good  results,  but  I  believe  that  water  from 
streams  is  often  better  for  plant  life  if  only  from  the  fact  that 
the  wash  it  contains  from  the  land  through  which  it  flows 
is  of  some  value  as  a  fertilizer.  It  is  generally  very  soft  and 
the  next  best  article  to  rain  water  which  old  gardeners  used  to 
catch  and  carefully  preserve  for  use  when  watering  their  plants. 
Where  there  is  city  or  town  water  to  be  had  at  reasonable 
rates  this  source  of  supply  is  generally  adopted.  The  cost  will 
vary,  but  might  approximate  $100.00  per  year  for  every  30,000 
square  feet  of  glass.  Some  people  claim  to  pump  their  own 
water  from  streams  or  wells  for  one-tenth  of  this  sum  but, 
when  everything  is  figured  in  from  first  cost  of  installing  a 
pumping  outfit  to  labor  and  fuel  in  running  it,  it  looks  as 
though  a  man  could  soon  use  up  two  dollars  a  week  on  a 
place  of  any  size. 

In  choosing  a  location  avoid  branch  railroads  and,  if  at  all 
possible,  get  near  to  a  station  on  the  main  line.  The  wisdom 
of  this  step,  when  receiving  coal  and  all  other  freight,  as  well 
as  when  making  the  daily  shipments  of  flowers  or  plants,  will 
soon  be  apparent.  Good  shipping  facilities  are  indispensable  to 
any  establishment,  and  proximity  to  express  offices  is  advanta- 
geous. 

Cow  manure  is  an  item  to  be  considered  and,  if  there  are 


CHOOSING    A    LOCATION 


15 


dairy  farms  in  the  vicinity  where  this  can  be  obtained,  it  will 
be  in  favor  of  the  location. 

Due  consideration  should  be  given  to  all  these  and  other 
questions  which  will  need  to  be  solved  when  looking  over 
farms  with  a  view  to  starting  a  Rose  growing  establishment. 
Having  secured  the  land,  the  next  thing  to  decide  on  is 
the  style  and  size  of  the  house  or  houses. 


SUNBURST 

Courtesy   E.    G.    Hill   Co.,    Richmond,    Ind. 


CHAPTER  II 

STYLE    OF    HOUSES 

T  N  building  a  house  for  Rose  growing,  the  most  sheltered  and 
•*•  sunny  part  of  the  field  should  be  chosen  where  there  is 
room  to  run  east  and  west.  A  good  size  for  a  beginner  would 
be  a  house  300  feet  long  and  between  30  and  40  feet  wide,  al- 
though the  length  and  width  may  be  greatly  increased  if  de- 
sired. Houses  up  to  32  feet  in  width  may  be  built  even  span; 
for  houses  much  wider,  three  quarter  span  is  better.  Iron,  or 
semi-iron  construction,  is  much  in  favor  at  the  present  time, 
although  good  wooden  houses  are  built  for  a  little  less  money 
and,  if  taken  care  of,  will  last  a  lifetime. 

There  are  a  number  of  reliable  firms  of  builders  of  green- 
houses of  every  description,  and  it  would  be  well  to  get  esti- 
mates and  specifications  from  several  of  these  and  to  compare 
same  carefully  before  giving  out  any  contracts.  If  the  order 
is  given  in  due  season,  these  firms  will  erect  a  house  in  short 
order  and  have  it  ready  when  they  agree  to,  which  is  worth 
a  great  deal  when  it  is  considered  that  every  day's  delay  in 
planting,  after  the  first  of  July,  means  an  actual  money  loss. 
After  the  middle  of  July  this  loss  has  been  placed  at  twenty- 
five  dollars  per  day  for  every  day's  delay  in  planting  10,000 
square  feet  of  bench  surface. 

The  material  may  be  bought  and  erected  by  local  labor, 
from  plans  furnished,  or  the  builders  will  erect  the  house.  The 
latter  way  would  probably  be  the  cheapest  in  the  end  for  a  man 
with  little  experience  in  this  work.  One  point  worth  remem- 
bering is,  that  the  average  carpenter  who  has  never  erected  an 
iron  frame  greenhouse  has  a  very  poor  idea  of  how  to  com- 
mence and  carry  on  the  work. 


STYLE   OF    HOUSES 


17 


ROSE   LADY   HILLINGDOX 

The  Queen  among  Yellows.   Promises  to  be  a  very  profitable  variety. 
A  splendid  grower  and  a  ready  seller 


Courtesy  Chas.  H.  Totty,  Madison,  N.  J. 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

The  walls  of  the  house  may  be  of  wood,  or  of  concrete  up 
to  the  glazing  sill,  which  should  be  so  placed  as  to  allow  from 
two  to  four  feet  of  glass  on  the  sides  of  the  house.  A  great 
many  builders  use  a  spliced  sash  bar  on  long  roofs;  there  is 
often  more  or  less  drip  in  a  house  where  this  is  used,  which  is 
objectionable.  It  is  possible  to  obtain  sash  bars  in  one  piece, 
up  to  thirty-five  feet  in  length,  from  some  firms. 

Sixteen  by  twenty-four-inch  glass  is  the  size  commonly  used 
and  this  is  generally  laid  with  the  long  part  of  the  glass  up 
and  down  the  roof.  By  laying  the  glass  the  twenty-four-inch  way 
you  save  one  sash  bar  in  four,  but  the  bars  must  be  made 
heavier  and  there  is  more  danger  of  breakage  from  snow  and 
ice,  so  that  it  is  advisable  to  space  the  bars  about  sixteen  inches 
apart  to  admit  of  the  glass  being  laid  in  this  way. 

It  is  best  to  have  continuous  ventilation  on  both  sides  of  the 
roof.  The  ones  on  the  north  side  will  not  be  of  use  in  the 
Winter  months,  but  all  through  the  warm  weather  it  is  ad- 
visable to  ventilate  on  both  sides  and  to  allow  the  air  to  circu- 
late through  the  top  of  the  house  instead  of  beating  down  on 
to  the  bushes,  as  it  must  do  where  there  is  only  an  opening  on 
one  side  and  the  wind  is  blowing  in  on  that  side. 

The  house  ought  to  have  a  good  coat  of  paint  before  erec- 
tion and  another  one  afterward. 

If  a  natural  slope  exists  on  the  ground  where  the  boilers 
may  be  placed  below  the  level  of  the  houses,  without  digging 
a  cellar,  it  is  of  great  help  and  will  save  money  as  well  as  give 
good  results.  There  is  nothing  to  beat  a  good  gravity  system 
where  this  is  possible.  If  this  is  not  feasible,  on  account  of  the 
cost  of  excavating,  the  boilers  may  be  set  on  top  of  the  ground 
and  the  condensation  returned  by  a  trap  or  a  pump. 

Provision  should  be  made  for  a  manure  tank,  a  room  for 
grading  and  storing  the  cut  flowers,  a  potting  shed  and  a  place 
for  propagating  young  stock.  There  should  be  room,  under 
cover,  to  store  enough  loam  in  the  Fall  to  take  care  of  the 


STYLE    OF    HOUSES 


19 


potting  until  March  or  April.  Where  any  quantity  of  soil  is 
required  early  in  the  Spring,  for  planting,  it  may  be  stacked 
up  in  a  semi-dry  condition  in  the  Fall,  in  a  compact  pile ;  it  will 
not  freeze  through  to  any  great  depth  and  may  be  handled  at 
almost  anv  time. 


ROSE   FRATJ   KARL  DRUSCHKI 


CHAPTER  III 
WHAT   TO    PLANT 

TO  the  beginner  the  question  of  what  to  plant  may  be  a 
perplexing  one.  As  this  is  such  a  large  country,  it  is 
only  natural  that  some  varieties  are  more  popular  in  certain 
sections  than  others,  or  that  some  varieties  are  more  success- 
fully grown  in  one  locality  than  in  another.  A  good  rule 
would  be  to  find  out  what  your  market  calls  for  and  what  kinds 
are  successfully  grown  in  your  vicinity,  and  to  commence  with 
these  kinds.  It  is  too  risky  for  a  beginner  to  launch  out  on 
unknown  seas.  He  must  follow  the  beaten  track  at  first,  and 
then,  by  degrees,  he  can  experiment  with  new  varieties,  and 
should  he  strike  a  good  thing  he  will  make  money. 

The  Killarneys,  pink  and  white,  are  grown  and  are  popu- 
lar nearly  all  over  the  country.  Richmond,  for  a  red  Rose,  is 
almost  as  popular.  Then  we  have  almost  a  score  of  others 
which  are  largely  grown,  but  not  so  universally  found  on  the 
market  as  the  three  kinds  first  mentioned. 

It  is  not  advisable  for  an  inexperienced  man  to  try  to  grow 
American  Beauty  Roses.  This  crop  does  not  always  pay  well, 
even  with  expert  growers,  and  the  tyro  would  be  very  likely  to 
lose  money  if  he  attempted  it. 

There  has  been  much  money  wasted  in  experimenting  on  a 
large  number  of  greenhouses  and,  if  you  can  profit  by  your 
neighbor's  mistakes,  you  will  get  your  experience  very  cheaply. 
Having  decided  what  you  will  grow  you  can  figure  that  you 
will  require  about  8000  plants  for  every  10,000  square  feet 
of  bench  surface.  You  will  do  well  to  order  these  ahead  from 
some  reliable  firm  or  firms  and  to  specify  just  when  you  want 


WHAT   TO    PLANT 


21 


ROSE  MRS.  A.  R.  WADDEIX 
A  novelty  in  demand  in  the  best  stores 


V 


22  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

them  delivered.  Then  your  part  will  be  to  hustle  everything 
along  and  get  your  houses  roofed  in  on  time;  your  loam  on 
the  benches,  the  water  pipes  laid,  faucets  all  in  position,  and 
everything  in  readiness  for  planting.  It  would  be  better,  too, 
if  the  boilers  were  set,  piping  done  and  everything  in  readiness 
to  turn  on  steam  at  a  few  hours'  notice,  but  this  is  not  so  im- 
portant as  it  is  to  avoid  delay  in  planting. 

If  the  roof  is  tight,  and  the  sides  and  ends  closed  in,  you 
can  plant  at  almost  any  time  after  the  middle  of  May,  but  do 
not  plant  until  the  roof  is  covered.  You  can  hurry  along  the 
steam  fitting  while  the  plants  are  growing;  you  may  not  need 
it  for  some  little  time,  but  it  is  better  to  be  prepared. 

When  ordering  plants  you  may  be  in  doubt  as  to  whether 
to  order  grafted  or  own  root  stock.  In  this  you  can  be  guided 
to  some  extent  by  what  others  are  doing  in  your  locality.  Some 
varieties,  like  Madame  Abel  Chatenay,  Perle  des  Jardins,  and 
others,  do  better  on  their  own  roots  than  they  do  grafted,  in 
fact,  the  last  named  will  not  succeed  grafted  on  Manetti,  but 
does  very  well  indeed  on  the  Banksia  stock.  That  fine  new 
yellow,  Lady  Hillingdon,  seems  to  be  equally  at  home  on  Brier, 
Banksia  or  Manetti  stock.  Prince  de  Bulgarie  does  well  either 
grafted  or  on  its  own  roots.  Other  kinds,  like  My  Maryland, 
are  grown  successfully  by  some  growers  when  grafted,  while 
others,  equally  as  skillful,  will  have  none  of  this  variety,  except 
on  their  own  roots.  Other  kinds,  like  the  Killarneys  and 
Richmond,  will  do  very  well  indeed  either  way. 

The  own  root  stock  may  be  bought  for  about  half  the 
price  of  the  grafted,  but  you  will  probably  cut  two  crops  of 
flowers  in  the  Fall  off  the  grafted  plants  before  you  get  any 
from  the  own  root  stock,  so  that  the  higher  priced  are  likely 
to  prove  the  cheapest  in  the  end. 

If  you  find  it  impossible  to  be  ready  for  planting  at  the- 
specified  time  you  can  generally  make  arrangements  to  have^ 
your  plants  held  a  little  while.  As  soon  as  you  receive  them 


WHAT    TO    PLANT 

they  should  be  unpacked  and  planted  care- 
fully.  Your  care  of  them  begins  the  minute 
they  are  landed  on  your  property,  and  they 
must  not  be  neglected  in  the  rush  of  build- 
ing and  other  work  on  a  new  place,  or  the 
returns  next  Winter  will  not  be  what  they 
ought  to  be. 


L  2V 


GRADING  STICK 

This  illustration  represents  the  meas- 
ure designed  by  Wm.  H.  Elliott  of 
Brighton,  Mass.,  for  use  in  grading 
Roses,  and  is  very  useful,  especially  for 
beginners;  it  also  insures  a  standard 
length  in  all  grades.  The  measure  is 
of  wood  tapering  to  1  in.  wide  at  the 
top ;  the  bottom  has  a  brass  plate  screwed 
on  3i/2  in.  wide  by  1%  in.  deep.  Any 
Rose  which  measures  below  the  cross 
(X)  marks  goes  into  the  lower  grade. 

The  A.  T.  Stearns  Lumber  Co.  of 
Neponset,  Boston,  Mass.,  will  supply  one 
of  these  measuring  devices  to  any  Rose 
grower  on  request. 


-12' 


-  9' 


6" 


CHAPTER  IV 
PROPAGATION— OWN  ROOT 

AS  we  get  down  to  Rose  growing  proper  it  may  be  best  to 
begin  with  the  plants  in  their  primary  stages.  If  you 
want  to  produce  own  root  stock,  the  methods  employed  are  easy 
and  simple.  You  should  have  a  propagating  house;  this  need 
not  be  large  and  may  be  situated  on  the  north  side  of  your 
larger  house.  It  should  have  continuous  ventilation  along  the 
top  and  is  much  improved  if  you  can  admit  light  and  sun 
through  the  north  wall  of  your  Rose  house  by  means  of  win- 
dows. If  these  windows  slide,  you  wTill  be  able  to  admit  air 
on  days  when  it  is  not  advisable  to  open  the  ventilators  on  your 
north  side  lean-to.  These  same  openings  will,  at  certain  sea- 
sons, be  of  use  in  admitting  warmth  to  the  propagating  house. 

The  bench  to  hold  the  cuttings  should  be  built  so  as  to 
allow  drainage  of  the  sand,  no  matter  whether  that  structure 
be  of  wood,  tile  or  cement.  Four  or  five  inches  of  edge  board 
will  hold  enough  depth  of  sand.  Two  or  three  steam  pipes, 
boxed  in  underneath,  will  provide  enough  bottom  heat.  These 
should  have  valves  so  that  they  may  be  shut  off  altogether,  or 
in  part,  as  required.  The  best  and  cleanest  sand  you  can  get 
is  none  too  good  for  propagation  purposes;  the  kind  masons  use 
for  setting  bricks  is  just  right.  A  good  whitewashing  of  hot 
lime,  in  which  a  little  sulphur  has  been  boiled,  is  of  great  bene- 
fit as  a  preservative  and  sweetener  of  the  bench. 

Fill  the  benches  with  sand,  pound  down  well  with  a  brick 
or  a  wooden  mallet,  water  thoroughly  and  insert  a  thermometer 
in  the  sand.  The  cuttings  may  be  inserted  as  soon  as  the  sand 
is  warmed  up  to  60°  F.  or  over.  The  best  temperature  for  a 


PROPAGATION,   OWN   ROOT 


25 


A  three-eye  cutting 


26  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

propagating  house  is  one  about  the  same  as  the  plants  were 
growing  in.  The  bottom  heat  may  be  five  degrees  warmer. 

Do  not  take  cuttings  from  any  but  healthy,  vigorous  plants. 
Early  in  the  morning,  or  on  a  cloudy  day,  when  the  wood  is 
fresh  and  comparatively  cool,  is  the  best  time  to  take  off  wood 
for  cuttings.  Blind  wood,  or  wood  without  a  flower  bud,  is 
generally  used  for  this  purpose.  It  should  be  plump  and  clean, 
not  so  soft  that  the  point  can  be  pinched  out  with  the  thumb, 
and  not  so  old  as  to  be  very  hard  and  dry.  Wood  of  about  the 
same  texture  as  that  next  to  the  flower  when  it  is  cut,  is  in  the 
right  stage  of  development.  If  you  can  afford  to  throw  away 
some  flowers,  or  if  you  can  use  them  short  stemmed,  you  can 
utilize  your  wood  for  propagating.  This,  however,  is  a  slow 
process  and  only  done  on  a  small  scale,  often  with  hew  or 
scarce  varieties.  This  wood  does  not  root  readily  if  too  hard, 
or  if  the  stem  is  large  and  pithy. 

I  believe  in  cuttings  with  two  or  more  eyes  (see  Fig.  1). 
They  may  be  rooted  with  only  one  eye  (see  Fig.  2),  if  the 
object  is  quantity  rather  than  quality,  but  cuttings  with  two  or 
more  eyes  will  make  much  larger  plants  in  a  short  time  than 
those  with  only  one. 

Cut  off  as  much  wood  as  you  can  handle  in  a  few  hours'  time, 
sprinkle  with  water  to  keep  it  fresh,  and  then  proceed,  with  a 
sharp  knife,  to  trim  the  cuttings  as  shown  in  Fig.  3.  As  soon 
as  they  are  ready,  use  a  narrow  board  or  a  lath,  for  a  straight 
edge,  and  draw  an  old  table  knife  or  a  putty  knife  alongside  it, 
making  a  cut  in  the  sand  about  half  an  inch  deep,  insert  the 
cuttings  just  deep  enough  so  that  they  will  not  fall  over  and 
place  them  as  close  together  as  possible  without  crowding  them ; 
then,  by  moving  the  lath  to  the  other  side  of  the  row,  and 
pounding  gently  on  it  a  little,  the  sand  will  be  tamped  down 
enough  to  make  the  cuttings  solid,  and  the  knife  drawn  along- 
side again  to  mark  the  place  for  the  next  row. 


PROPAGATION,   OWN   ROOT 


27 


This  is  a  quick  way  of  putting  in  cuttings  when  the  work 
is  properly  done;  they  must  be  set  in  so  firmly  that  the  water- 
ings will  not  knock  them  over.  Use  a  sprinkler  on  the  end  of 
the  hose  and,  with  a  gentle  spray,  give  a  good  watering,  enough 
to  settle  the  sand  firmly  around  each  cutting.  If  the  drain- 


FIG.  2 


A  one-eye  cutting — not  recommended 


age  is  all  right,  water  every  day  for  ten  days,  and  afterwards  as 
needed.  Do  not  let  the  sun  or  wind  in  on  the  cuttings  to  wilt 
them,  but  be  sure  to  keep  them  fresh,  as  cuttings  once  wilted 
are  never  so  good.  The  same  is  true  of  young  plants  in  any 
stage;  any  check  they  get  is  liable  to  react  against  them  later. 


28  COMMERCIAL   ROSE   CULTURE 

In  about  three  weeks'  time  the  cuttings  may  be  examined 
by  inserting  a  knife  and  prying  them  up  gently  out  of  the 
sand.  As  soon  as  they  have  made  roots  about  half  an  inch 
long  they  should  be  potted.  If  this  operation  is  long  delayed, 
the  plants  will  suffer  as  there  is  no  nutriment  in  the  sand  to 
sustain  any  growth  that  they  may  make.  The  roots  also  lose 
their  plumpness,  become  long  and  brittle,  are  easily  broken  off 
when  dug  up  from  the  sand  and  while  being  potted,  and  are 
much  injured  thereby. 

The  soil  for  the  first  potting  should  contain  no  fresh  ma- 
nure, nor  any  chemical  fertilizer.  Good  Rose  soil,  mixed  up 
the  previous  Summer  with  a  little  cow  manure,  will  be  in  the 
right  condition  by  this  time,  by  which  I  mean  anywhere  between 
December  first  and  April  first.  If  this  is  stored  outdoors,  or 
in  a  cold  shed,  it  should  be  brought  inside  long  enough  before- 
hand to  get  well  warmed  through  before  it  is  required  for  use. 
Screen  and  rub  all  lumps  of  sod  and  manure  through  a  three- 
eighths  inch  screen ;  a  one-fourth  inch  or  one-half  inch  one  will 
do  if  you  have  not  the  first  named  size.  This  is  done  to  make 
the  plant  food  it  contains  available,  to  avoid  breaking  the  roots 
by  trying  to  crowd  them  into  a  small  pot  with  lumps  of  earth, 
and  also  to  greatly  increase  the  speed  in  potting,  for  it  is  well 
known  by  growers  of  small  stock  that  a  man  can  pot  into  small 
pots  much  faster  when  using  screened  loam  than  he  can  with 
rough  material. 

A  2-inch  or  2%  -inch  standard  pot  is  large  enough  for  the 
first  potting.  Pot  firmly,  but  not  too  deeply — and  to  about  the 
same  depth  as  the  cuttings  were  in  the  sand.  Do  not  set  the 
roots  to  the  bottom  of  the  pots,  nor  so  near  the  top  that  they 
will  not  stand  firmly  upright,  and  pot  them  all  alike.  If  you 
knock  the  plants  out  of  the  pots,  after  a  good  man  has  been  at 
work,  you  will  find  every  plant  just  about  the  same  as  regards 
depth,  firmness  of  potting,  etc.  Water  carefully  by  sprinkling 
them  gently  several  times  and  then  examine  several  pots  to  see 


PROPAGATION,,   OWN   ROOT 


29 


FIG.  3 


<3 

A  three-eye  cutting  trimmed  ready  for  the  sand  bed 


30  COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 

if  they  are  uniformly  moist.  Do  not  water  them  enough  to 
make  them  muddy. 

It  will  save  a  lot  of  work  and  care  if  you  can  place  your 
young  stock  near  the  propagating  house ;  if  your  potting  bench 
can  be  located  in  the  propagating  house  it  will  save  a  lot  of 
carting  around.  In  any  event,  place  the  stock  on  the  best  and 
sunniest  bench  you  have  got,  setting  them  level  on  fresh 
screened  coal  ashes.  Shade  the  stock  for  a  few  hours  daily, 
for  the  first  few  daj^s,  if  sunny,  reducing  and  discontinuing 
this  as  soon  as  possible.  Water  carefully  every  day  or  two, 
as  needed,  syringe  well  every  fine  day,  once  or  twice,  ac- 
cording to  conditions,  to  keep  down  insects  and  to  induce 
the  lower  eyes  to  break.  Never  allow  the  plants  to  become  dry 
and  do  not  get  them  too  wet  as  then  there  is  danger  of  souring 
the  soil.  A  happy  medium,  such  as  will  soon  make  itself  ap- 
parent to  you,  will  be  the  right  condition  to  keep  your  young 
stock  in.  Have  the  foliage  dried  off  before  nightfall. 

Give  the  best  of  care  and  repot  into  larger  pots  as  soon 
as  the  small  pots  are  full  of  roots.  Pot  into  the  same  kind  of 
soil  that  you  used  at  first,  with  the  addition  of  a  sprinkling 
of  bonemeal.  A  pot  one  inch  larger  will  be  large  enough,  and 
then,  if  necessary,  you  can  give  them  still  another  shift  later. 
Although  this  is  seldom  done,  it  is  much  better  than  making 
too  large  a  shift  at  once  or  than  allowing  the  plants  to  remain 
in  one  pot  to  spoil. 


CHAPTER  V 
PROPAGATION  BY  GRAFTING 


THE  first  step  toward  grafting  will  be  to  order  the  Manetti 
(which  is  the  best  stock  for  this  purpose)  in  good  season. 
It  is  advisable  to  order  in  the  Spring  for  Fall  delivery.  This 
stock  may  be  imported  from  the  British  Isles  or  from  the 
Continent.  French  grown  Manetti  may  be  bought  for  less 
money  than  the  British,  but  the  percentage  of  loss  is  greater, 
as  a  rule,  and  the  stock  is  not  so  carefully  graded,  so  that  the 
difference  in  first  cost  is  offset  by  results  later.  No  one  need  be 
afraid  of  French  grown  stock.  It  is  simply  a  case  of  where  the 
lowest  priced  article  is  not  always  the  cheapest. 

The  Manetti  generally  reaches  this  country  about  the  first 
of  December.  As  isoon  as  received  it  should  be  unpacked.  If 
frozen  when  received  it  should  be  allowed  to  thaw  out  gradu- 
ally, in  a  cold  place,  and  then  should  be  potted  into  good  soil 
in  small  pots;  2% -inch  or  2^-inch  pots  are  large  enough 
for  this  purpose.  If  larger  ones  are  used  they  take  up  too  much 
room  in  the  case,  and  the  soil  is  more  likely  to  sour.  Soil  such 
as  was  recommended  for  potting  cuttings  out  of  the  sand  is 
good  for  potting  Manetti.  Some  growers  add  a  sprinkling  of 
bonemeal  to  this,  when  potting,  which  promotes  a  more  vigor- 
ous growth  of  the  grafted  plant.  An  experienced  commercial 
grower  tells  us  that  he  always  top  dresses  his  young  grafted 
plants  with  bonemeal  which  promotes  a  quick,  vigorous  growth. 

If  the  roots  of  the  Manetti  are  too  large  to  insert  in  the 
pots,  they  may  be  trimmed  with  a  sharp  knife.  Shorten  back, 
or  cut  off  altogether,  some  of  the  large  roots,  making  a  clean 
cut,  leaving  on  as  many  of  the  small  fibrous  roots  as  possible. 


32  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

Pot  firmly,  leaving  the  top  of  the  soil  nearly  one-half  an  inch 
below  the  top  of  the  pot.  This  allows  low  grafting,  which 
means  that  the  plants  may  be  planted  into  a  shallow  bench  and 
yet  have  the  graft  covered  with  soil,  which  is  considered  by 
some  good  growers  as  essential  to  success.  However,  I  have 
seen  grafted  stock  doing  well  when  planted  with  the  graft 
exposed  above  ground.  When  potted,  place  the  plants  on  a 
bench  of  clean  ashes  in  a  cold  house,  water  well  once  and 
then,  after  the  first  day,  spray  very  lightly,  several  times  daily, 
to  keep  the  tops  moist,  but  do  not  keep  the  roots  too  wet.  Keep 
the  house  as  near  46°  as  possible. 

The  stock  will  be  ready  for  grafting  in  from  three  to  five 
weeks  after  potting,  according  to  conditions.  As  soon  as  the  buds 
swell  and  the  roots  show,  they  are  ready  to  graft.  While  the 
stock  is  rooting  is  the  time  to  get  the  grafting  case  ready,  if 
this  has  not  been  done  previously.  This  may  be  built  on  one 
end  of  the  bench  where  you  root  your  cuttings,  but  will  re- 
quire more  pipes  underneath,  as  the  bottom  heat  must  be  greater. 
A  temperature  of  80°  to  85°  is  required  for  this. 

For  a  bench  three  or  four  feet  wide,  from  four  to  six  \l/i~ 
inch  steam  pipes  will  be  enough  to  maintain  this  heat  if  the 
sides  and  ends  are  boxed  in  tightly.  Every  pipe  should  have  a 
valve  on  both  ends  so  that  the  heat  may  be  under  control  at 
all  times.  Use  matched  boards  for  building  the  frame,  and 
make  the  glass  cover  thoroughly  tight,  for  on  this  much  of  the 
future  success  depends.  Build  the  case  large  enough  to  accom- 
modate as  many  plants  as  you  wish  to  graft  and  divide  it  into 
sections,  each  independent  of  the  other,  and  each  one  tight. 
Make  each  section  no  larger  than  you  can  fill  in  one  day's 
grafting.  If  you  have  10,000  to  graft,  a  case  holding  about 
3,500  will  be  large  enough,  for  if  you  commence  early  you  can 
make  three  rounds.  Each  round  will  take  about  four  weeks  in 
all,  although  it  has  been  done  in  less  time. 


PROPAGATION    BY   GRAFTING 


33 


If  you  adopt  this  method,  instead  of  trying  to  graft  all  your 
stock  at  once,  it  would  be  wise  to  pot  two-thirds  of  your  stock 
at  first,  and  the  remainder  about  a  month  later.  Stock  for  later 
grafting  may  be  left  in  the  cases  in  a  cold  shed  away  from 
frost.  The  case  may  be  the  same  width  as  any  ordinary  bench, 
but  not  so  wide  as  to  be  awkward  to  work  in.  It  may  be 
twelve  inches  high  outside  and  eighteen  inches  high  at  the 


A  cion  just  cut  off  the  plant 


ridge.  The  shape  of  it  does  not  matter  so  long  as  the  essentials 
are  adhered  to.  The  sash  and  top  boards  should  be  painted 
and  the  lower  parts  should  receive  a  good  coating  of  lime 
wash.  About  four  inches  of  sifted  ashes  should  be  spread  on 
the  bottom.  These  should  be  packed  down  and  well  watered, 


34  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


FIG.  5 


Manetti  stock  ready  for  the  case 


PROPAGATION    BY    GRAFTING  35 

and  the  case  closed  tight  the  day  before  being  used,  which 
induces  the  warm,  moist  condition  necessary  for  best  results. 

The  stock  to  be  worked  will  be  in  better  shape  for  handling 
if  it  is  well  watered  the  day  before  being  used.  It  will  then 
require  no  more  water  at  the  root  for  nearly  a  week,  which 
makes  the  danger  of  getting  water  in  the  cut  much  less. 

When  the  days  get  short  in  the  Fall  we  light  up  at  about 
4.30  p.  m.,  and  the  boys  amuse  themselves  by  cutting  raffia 
into  lengths  of  about  twelve  inches  and  splitting  it  up  into  the 
required  thickness.  If  this  is  too  thin,  it  does  not  work  so  well, 
and  if  too  thick  it  makes  a  bungling  job.  When  cutting  the 
flowers  it  is  best  to  leave  one  or  two  good  eyes  with  plump 
buds  on  the  plants,  just  before  grafting  time.  You  can  go 
around  with  a  basket  and  collect  these,  when  wanted.  If  you 
cannot  get  enough  in  this  way  it  is  best  to  sacrifice  a  few  flow- 
ers; a  rose  worth  eight  cents,  at  wholesale,  will  cut  up  into 
four  to  six  cions  worth  one  and  one-half  cents  each.  This 
wood  should  never  be  allowed  to  wilt.  Sprinkle  it  the  same 
as  cuttings,  but  do  not  soak  it  in  water  for  any  long  time. 

It  is  a  good  practice  to  plant  enough  plants  of  the  varieties 
needed  for  propagation  by  themselves  and  keep  the  flowers 
pinched  off  these.  Much  time  will  then  be  saved  in  taking 
cuttings  when  needed. 

The  stock  should  be  picked  out  and  placed  in  flats  and  be 
in  a  convenient  position,  always  selecting  the  ones  with  good 
roots  and  plump  eyes  first.  We  use  two  knives,  a  common  shoe 
knife,  or  a  cheap  knife  bought  from  the  nurseryman's  supply 
house,  for  the  stock,  and  a  grafting  or  budding  knife,  such  as 
florists  use,  for  cutting  the  cions.  Use  nothing  but  the  best, 
healthy  wood,  with  plump  eyes,  for  this  work.  Some  growers  use 
a  rack  for  holding  the  pot,  which  leaves  both  hands  free ;  others 
take  up  the  pot  in  one  hand  and  work  with  the  other.  There 
is  no  difference  in  the  time  it  takes ;  it  depends  altogether  on  the 
operator.  Make  a  slanting  cut,  as  low  down  as  possible  on  the 


36 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE   CULTURE 


stock,  commencing  as  close  to  the  soil  as  you  can  and  working 
upward.  Cut  the  cion  to  match  and  fit  them  together.  If 
stock  and  cion  are  both  of  the  same  size,  and  well  matched  on 
both  sides,  it  is  a  perfect  piece  of  work.  The  inner  bark  of  both 
must  come  together  on  one  side  at  least,  and  it  is  better  to 
make  a  perfect  union  on  one  side  regardless  of  the  other  than 
to  try  to  match  both  sides,  and  fail  because  stock  and  cion  are 


Manetti  stock  cut  down  ready  to  receive  cion 


of  unequal  size  or  the  work  improperly  done.  When  matched, 
tie  them  together  by  wrapping  raffia  around,  and  tying  with 
a  loop  knot,  or  passing  the  end  underneath  the  last  lap  and 
draw  tight.  This  operation  ought  to  be  done  quickly  but  care- 
fully. The  beginner  will  have  to  go  slowly  at  first,  but  with 
practice  he  will  soon  become  expert. 


PROPAGATION    BY    GRAFTING  37 

In  our  illustrations  Fig.  4  shows  a  cion  just  cut  off  the 
plant.  Fig.  5  shows  the  Manetti  stock  ready  for  grafting; 
Fig.  6  is  the  Manetti  stock  cut  down  ready  to  receive  cion; 
Fig.  7  shows  the  finished  grafted  plant  ready  for  the  case. 

As  soon  as  a  flat  is  full,  the  plants  should  be  set  into  the  case 
and  closed  tight,  being  kept  shaded  all  the  time  if  the  sun  is 
shining  on  the  house.  The  stock,  when  cut  with  the  knife, 
should  look  fresh  and  sappy.  If  it  looks  dry  and  hard  it  should 
be  rejected.  Close  up  air-tight  as  soon  as  the  case  is  full,  always 
keeping  the  cions  from  getting  dry  in  the  meantime.  Keep  a 
thermometor  in  every  compartment  and  let  it  stand  as  near 
80°  as  possible,  a  few  degrees  higher  is  better  than  a  degree  or 
two  lower.  If  the  cover  of  the  case  does  not  fit  tightly,  lay 
strips  of  paper  in  and  shut  down  on  to  this.  If  the  tops  look 
at  all  dry,  they  may  be  sprayed  with  a  florist's  atomizer  before 
being  closed. 

The  case  need  not  be  opened  again  for  five  days.  Then 
open  it  early  in  the  morning  before  there  is  ventilation  on  from 
outside  and  before  the  sun  is  up  to  wilt  the  cuttings.  Open  wide 
for  five  to  ten  minutes  and  then  close  again.  After  two  or  three 
days  of  this  treatment,  a  very  little  air  may  be  left  on  altogether, 
increasing  this  each  day  until,  in  about  three  weeks  from  the 
time  you  commenced  to  open  first,  you  can  leave  the  cover  off 
altogether.  The  bottom  heat  may  be  reduced  at  this  time  also. 
Very  little  water  will  be  required  the  first  week  in  the  cases, 
but  afterward,  as  air  is  admitted  and  the  plants  grow,  they 
will  require  considerable,  as  the  bottom  heat  will  evaporate  a 
lot  of  moisture. 

During  the  first  few  days,  when  they  are  to  be  closed  in 
tightly,  you  can  tell  by  looking  through  the  glass  whether  they 
are  all  right  or  not  as  regards  moisture.  It  is  possible  that 
foliage  will  look  dry.  If  this  should  happen  take  off  the  cover, 
spray  with  a  fine  sprayer,  with  warm  water,  and  close  again 
immediately.  If  there  is  too  much  moisture  in  the  case  mold 


38  COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 

will  appear,  in  which  event  a  very  little  air  might  be  carefully 
admitted  to  help  dispel  this.  But  this  tinkering  ought  not  to 
be  necessary  if  everything  has  been  properly  done. 

If  your  cases  are  built  in  sections,  as  soon  as  one  end  is 
empty  and  cleaned  out,  it  is  ready  for  the  next  round.  Watch 
the  plants  carefully  the  first  few  days  after  taking  them  out 
of  the  cases.  Shade  them  a  little,  if  needed,  but  never  when 
you  can  get  along  without  it.  Give  the  plants  the  warmest  and 
most  sunny  bench  you  have,  and  they  will  grow  rapidly.  After 
a  few  weeks  they  will  need  to  be  staked  and  tied  to  prevent 
being  broken  when  syringed  with  the  hose.  If  the  Raffia  is  tight 
at  this  time,  it  may  be  cut  away  before  it  damages  the  bark. 
Take  good  care  of  these  plants  and  you  will  have  good  stock 
at  planting  time. 

PROPAGATION  BY  SEEDLING  AND  BY  BUDDING 

Propagation  of  Roses  by  seedlings  is  a  slow  and  expensive 
process,  and  is  not  to  be  recommended  to  the  beginner.  Several 
thousand  seedlings  might  be  raised  without  getting  one  worth 
growing.  The  men  in  this  country  and  abroad  who  are  engaged 
in  this  work  have,  in  many  cases,  spent  years  of  time  and  labor, 
to  say  nothing  of  money,  and  are  deserving  of  great  praise  for 
the  results  so  far  attained.  But  this  is  not  a  work  for  the  Rose 
grower  who  must  make  a  living,  and  who  is  struggling  to  get 
established  in  business. 

Propagation  by  budding  is  simple.  It  is  practiced  but  little 
inside,  but  outdoors  it  may  be  sometimes  necessary  or  advisable 
to  use  this  method  of  propagation.  Manetti  makes  a  good 
stock  to  bud  on.  This  stock  may  be  planted  out  early  in  the 
Spring,  in  rows  eight  inches  apart  and  three  feet  between  the 
rows.  Bud  in  July  or  August  as  low  as  possible. 

There  are  two  things  necessary  in  budding:  First,  a  well 
established,  healthy  stock  plant;  second,  a  well  matured  bud. 
The  wood  is  in  the  right  condition  when  the  bark  will  peel 


PROPAGATION    BY    GRAFTING 


The  finished  grafted  plant  ready  for  the  case 


40  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

easily  from  it.  This  may  be  tested  by  running  the  knife  under 
the  bark.  Use  a  thin  and  sharp  budding  knife,  make  a  longi- 
tudinal incision  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long,  another 
short  one  across  the  top,  making  it  T  shaped;  run  the  knife 
under  the  bark  to  loosen  it  from  the  wood,  and  cut  off  the  bud 
you  wish  to  insert,  taking  with  it  a  thin  scale  of  the  wood  if  the 
shoot  is  young.  If  the  wood  is  old  the  bark  will  be  sufficient. 
Cut  the  bark  about  one  one-quarter  of  an  inch  above  and  below 
the  bud.  Raise  the  bark  on  the  stock  with  the  budding  knife,  in- 
sert the  bud  carefully  as  far  as  it  can  go,  and  bind  with  raffia. 
This  may  be  cut  away  in  about  two  weeks.  Rather  cool,  cloudy 
weather  is  best  for  this  operation.  In  hot,  dry  weather,  the 
buds  are  liable  to  perish  before  the  union  is  effected.  Break 
off  any  shoots  which  attempt  to  push  out  below  the  bud  and, 
as  soon  as  the  bud  commences  to  grow,  cut  off  the  old  stem 
above  the  bud  as  close  as  convenient,  making  a  clean  slanting 
cut  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  shoot. 


CHAPTER  VI 

HYBRIDIZING 

A     CHAPTER  on  this  subject  having  been  asked  for,  the 
following  has  been  written. 

Hybridizing  is  the  art  of  bringing  together  individual 
flowers  or  plants  of  different  species.  Cross  breeding  effects 
similar  results  with  individuals  of  the  same  species. 

The  average  Rose  grower  has  little  time  or  inclination  to 
practice  this  art  and,  when  we  consider  that  a  man  might  raise 
thousands  of  seedlings,  which  take  up  valuable  time  and  space 
for  months  and  sometimes  years,  only  to  find  them  all  worth- 
less at  the  end  of  it  all,  we  understand  why  so  few  attempt  it 
and  feel  genuine  admiration  for  our  pioneers  in  America 
who  have  done  such  noble  work  in  this  direction. 

Generally  speaking,  a  man  to  be  successful  in  this  work  must 
follow  out  a  well  defined  and  systematic  course  when  crossing 
Roses;  he  must  know  just  what  he  is  striving  for  and  select  his 
parents  with  that  end  in  view  and,  most  probably,  will  have  to 
keep  this  up  for  years,  perhaps  discarding  20,000  seedlings  be- 
fore he  gets  one  worth  growing.  And  yet  there  is  another  side 
to  this. 

It  is  a  fact  that  occasionally,  a  beginner  will  make  a  cross 
which  turns  out  well  and  this  element  of  chance  is  so  alluring 
that  it  is  well  worth  the  attempt.  It  has  been  asserted  by 
eminent  Rosarians  that  there  is  no  limit  to  the  diversity  or 
variation  of  Roses  produced  from  seed.  Some  have  sown  thou- 
sands of  seeds  of  certain  varieties  without  obtaining  one  of  the 
same  kind.  It  is  commonly  thought  that  the  double  varieties 
do  not  perfect  their  seed  as  well  as  the  more  single  ones,  but 


42  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

this  has  been  proved  incorrect,  and  it  seems  to  be  of  more  im- 
portance as  to  what  the  shape  of  the  flower  is  like  rather  than  as 
to  how  many  petals  it  has. 

Certain  varieties  seem  to  be  incapable  of  forming  perfect 
seed,  especially  such  as  have  the  petals  rolled  inwards.  Other 
kinds,  having  perfect  pistils,  will,  if  the  flowers  are  allowed 
to  remain,  form  seed  pods  which  dry  up  before  arriving  at 
maturity.  Such  as  these  will  often  perfect  their  seed  if  artifi- 
cial impregnation  is  practiced. 

If  a  large  number  of  chance  seedlings  is  the  object,  select 
a  piece  of  good  ground,  well  prepared,  and  plant  on  it  a  collec- 
tion of  the  best  varieties  obtainable.  Do  not  prune  these  too 
closely  but,  when  the  flowers  are  about  to  develop,  all  the  poor 
ones  may  be  removed,  leaving  the  good,  well  developed  ones  to 
flower  and  seed  at  will. 

A  better  way  would  be  to  carefully  select  flowers  for  cross- 
ing and  hand  fertilize  them,  keeping  a  record  of  operations.  In 
this  case  care  has  to  be  used  that  promiscuous  crossing,  or  self- 
fertilization,  does  not  take  place.  To  guard  against  the  former 
cover  with  netting  to  keep  away  insects  about  the  time  the 
pollen  is  ripe  and,  as  a  preventive  of  the  latter,  pry  open  gently 
the  flowers  to  be  operated  on  and  remove  the  stamens  with  a 
pair  of  round  pointed  scissors.  This  may  be  done  just  before 
the  flower  is  ready  to  open,  say  the  night  before;  if  delayed 
until  the  pollen  on  the  stamens  is  ripe,  which  is  about  the  time 
the  flower  is  expanded,  it  may  be  too  late  to  prevent  self-fertili- 
zation. 

Fragrance  is  an  object  which  should  be  sought  after  in  a 
new  Rose;  other  qualifications  are  habit,  form,  color,  freedom 
of  bloom,  hardiness,  if  for  outside  planting,  and  continuity  of 
growth  and  bloom  in  Winter,  if  for  indoor  culture. 

It  has  been  asserted  that,  to  obtain  double  flowers,  prefer- 
ence should  be  given  to  double  and  semi-double  varieties  for 
seed  bearers ;  varieties  should  be  selected  with  broad,  thick,  well 


HYBRIDIZING 


43 


ROSE  MRS.  AARON  WARD 

Possesses    handsome    foliage,    produces    enormous    crops, 
little    extra   warmth    in    Winter 

Courtesy  E.    G.   Hill   Co.,   Richmond,   Ind. 


Likes    a 


44  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


ROSE  RADIANCE 
A  tried  and  true  Rose.    Has  been  very  profitable  the  past  few  years 

Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


HYBRIDIZING  45 

formed  petals,  with  perfect  pistils  and  stamens  visible.  An 
absolutely  double  flower  would  not  possess  these  qualifications 
and  so  would  be  incapable  of  producing  seed. 

Single  flowers  will  bear  seed  that  will  never  produce  more 
than  a  semi-double  variety.  Since  American  growers  have  been 
raising  seedling  Roses,  rapid  strides  have  been  made  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  a  type  or,  rather,  two  distinct  types  of  plants 
suited  to  our  requirements — one  for  outdoors  and  another  for 
Winter  forcing. 

It  is  best  to  plant  the  Roses  intended  for  seed  bearers  away 
from  others  and  to  select  varieties  differing  in  color  and  habit. 
The  pistils  or  female  organs  of  one  are  to  be  fertilized  by  the 
stamens  or  male  organs  of  the  other.  A  stamen  with  no  anther 
or  pollen  bearer  is  barren.  A  pistil  is  composed  of  the  ovary 
or  embryo  of  the  seed.  Down  in  the  center  of  the  flower,  and 
rising  from  it,  is  a  filament  called  the  style  (or  center)  and  the 
stigma  or  point  to  which  the  pollen  is  applied.  This  terminates 
in  a  rather  thickened  point,  and  is  pierced  with  an  impercept- 
ible opening  through  which  the  pollen  is  carried  to  the  ovule, 
which  latter  develops  into  a  seed. 

Authorities  differ  as  to  which  of  the  parents  the  seedlings 
will  most  resemble  and  this  question  need  not  much  concern  the 
amateur.  It  would  require  years  of  study  to  reduce  this  ques- 
tion to  a  science,  and  personal  experience  will  probably  be  the 
best  teacher. 

When  the  flower  is  fully  open  it  must  be  fertilized  with 
another  of  a  variety  from  which  it  is  desired  that  the  qualities 
be  largely  perpetuated  in  the  seedlings.  The  two  flowers  se- 
lected should  be  in  about  the  same  stage  of  development.  The 
anthers  may  be  pressed  between  the  thumb  and  finger  and,  if  the 
yellow  dust  sticks  to  them,  it  is  ripe  and  ready  to  use.  It  would 
be  best  to  carry  a  flower  of  the  male  parent  to  the  seed  bearer. 
It  may  then  be  held  over  the  latter  flower  and,  by  placing  a 
finger  over  the  bottom  flower  and  striking  the  pollen  bearer 


46  COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 

gently  on  it,  the  pollen  will  be  shaken  off  and  the  work  done. 
Or  the  pollen  may  be  collected  on  a  camel's  hair  or  very  fine 
brush,  and  thus  conveyed  from  the  anthers  of  one  flower  to  the 
style  of  the  other. 

The  flower  should  then  be  protected  so  that  neither  the 
wind  nor  insects  are  able  to  carry  other  pollen  or  interfere  in 
any  way  with  the  work  done.  When  the  flower  has  passed  away, 
if  the  cross  has  been  successful  the  seed  pod  will  soon  swell. 
If  any  decayed  petals  adhere  to  it  they  should  be  removed  and 
the  pods  should  be  left  on  the  bushes  until  fully  ripe.  Protect 
from  birds  or  anything  that  might  damage  them,  if  outdoors. 

The  same  operations,  just  described,  may  be  carried  on  in 
an  airy  greenhouse,  the  plants  to  be  grown  in  pots,  as  well  as 
outdoors,  with  the  advantage  of  a  longer  ripening  season. 

John  Cook  tells  us  that  50  per  cent,  of  the  seeds  will  not 
germinate,  25  per  cent,  will  come  single  and  out  of  the  re- 
maining 25  per  cent,  may  be  obtained  two  or  three  varieties 
worth  growing  on. 

Care  must  be  taken,  when  syringing,  about  the  time  of  fer- 
tilization, that  no  water  gets  into  the  flowers. 

The  seed  may  be  sown  as  soon  as  ripe.  It  should  be  rubbed 
out  between  the  hands  before  being  sown.  Hard  pods  may 
be  crushed  and  rubbed  through  a  wire  screen  after  which  lay  in 
the  air  to  dry.  If  the  seed  is  old,  soak  in  water  over  night  before 
sowing.  Sow  the  seed  in  flats  or  pans  filled  with  a  mixture  of 
loam  and  leaf  mold;  well  mix  in  equal  parts  and  see  that  the 
boxes  or  pans  are  well  drained.  After  the  seed  is  sown,  water 
carefully,  and  cover  with  about  one-half  an  inch  of  the  same 
mixture  to  which  a  little  sand  has  been  added.  They  may  then 
be  placed  in  a  cool  greenhouse  and  should  be  kept  moist. 

It  will  take  months  for  all  the  seed  to  germinate.  They 
will  require  the  same  care  and  protection  from  harm  that  any 
other  seedlings  do.  Flowers  will  probably  appear  on  the  seed- 
lings within  a  year.  Some  of  the  Bourbon  and  Chinese  varieties 


HYBRIDIZING  47 

have  been  known  to  flower  when  five  or  six  weeks  old.  It  is 
best  to  prevent  rather  than  to  encourage  flowering  at  such  an 
early  stage,  so  that  a  good  plant  may  be  built  up.  As  soon 
as  they  flower  all  inferior  blooms  may  be  destroyed;  preserve 
the  best  ones  and,  to  save  valuable  time,  eyes  may  be  budded  or 
cions  grafted  on  to  a  vigorous  growing  stock.  (See  chapter  on 
The  Seedling-Inarch  and  Nurse-Plant  Methods  of  Plant 
Propagation.) 

The  Manetti  is  commonly  used  in  America  for  this  purpose. 
The  Brier  is  preferred  for  certain  kinds  and  other  wild  or  hardy 
stocks  may  be  tried.  The  Banksia  stock  has  been  proven  very 
good  for  yellow  varieties. 

It  will  take  several  years  to  test  a  variety  and  to  try  it  out 
properly  and  decide  whether  it  is  worth  growing  and  putting 
on  the  market.  There  are  many  qualifications  a  Rose  must 
have  and  nothing  hurts  a  firm's  reputation  more  than  to  send 
out  a  variety  that  will  not  prove  desirable  or  profitable  to  grow. 

It  is  suggested  that  experiments  be  made  in  crossing  the 
hardy  varieties  or,  at  least,  infusing  some  hardy  blood  into  the 
crosses  so  as  to  raise  kinds  which  will  be  able  to  withstand 
the  severity  of  our  American  climate.  The  Rugosa,  Wichur- 
aiana  and  others  of  this  type,  are  good  to  use  for  this  purpose. 
It  would  seem  that  to  make  the  Rose  more  popular  with  the 
masses  varieties  that  succeed  outdoors  would  be  in  great  demand. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE     SEEDLING-INARCH     AND     NURSE-PLANT 
METHODS  OF  PLANT  PROPAGATION 

For  the  matter  which  follows,  we  are  indebted  to  the  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.  C.,  our  material  be- 
ing extracted  from  Bulletin  No.  202,  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry, 
by  Geo.  W.  Oliver.  In  an  introductory  note  therein,  David 
Fairchild,  the  agricultural  explorer,  in  charge  of  the  depart- 
ment of  Foreign  Seed  and  Plant  Introduction,  says: 

"One  of  the  most  important  factors  in  the  creation  of  a  plant 
industry  which  depends  upon  a  perennial  species  is  the  rapid 
propagation  of  the  plant.  The  possibility  of  bringing  through 
the  mails  from  any  part  of  the  world  a  few  seeds  of  some  rare 
plant  is  of  relatively  little  moment  if  it  is  not  backed  up  by 
adequate  methods  of  quick  reproduction  from  these  few  seeds, 
through  asexual  propagation,  in  order  to  produce  large  num- 
bers of  individuals  for  experimental  trial.  One  of  the  greatest 
drawbacks  of  horticulture  is  the  time  required  to  test  a  new 
variety  originated  from  seed,  and  any  method  which  shortens 
the  time  required  to  make  such  tests  must  appeal  to  everyone, 
whether  an  originator  of  new  varieties  or  a  tester  of  them,  as  of 
the  greatest  value. 

"The  seedling-inarch  method  which  has  been  worked  out 
by  Mr.  Oliver,  it  is  believed,  is  destined  to  prove  of  the  greatest 
importance  not  only  in  connection  with  the  propagation  of  the 
tropical  and  subtropical  fruits  and  ornamental  plants  with  which 
this  Bulletin  particularly  deals  (because  it  has  been  in  his  stud- 
ies with  them  that  he  has  come  to  realize  its  value),  but  in  a 
very  wide  range  of  plant  industries  in  which  the  early  fruiting 


THE    SEEDLING-INARCH 


49 


of  a  variety  is  very  desirable.  This  shortening  by  a  year  or 
more  of  the  time  required  for  the  fruiting  of  a  new  variety  is  be- 
lieved to  be  a  matter  of  such  unusual  importance  as  to  be  worthy 
of  the  widest  publicity  among  all  interested  in  the  cultivation 
of  plants.  The  discussion  embodied  in  this  Bulletin,  while  it 
indicates  the  present  stage  of  our  studies  of  certain  tropical  fruit 
industries,  must  be  considered  as  having  a  much  more  general 
application  than  to  these  few  new  fruit  possibilities  which  are 
as  yet  little  known  to  the  American  public." 


FIG.   1.     Rose   seedlings,   a  cross  between  two  varieties,   four   weeks 

after  germation.    Each  seedling  is  grown  close  to  the  rim  of  a 

2-inch   pot   so  as   to   facilitate   an  easy   approach   to   the 

stock  plants  when  inarching 


Those  parts  of  the  Bulletin  which  will  especially  interest 
our  readers  are  here  given : 

While  investigating  the  asexual  propagation  of  some  tropical 
fruit  trees  and  other  plants,  at  the  request  of  Dr.  B.  T.  Gal- 
loway, chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry,  it  was  discovered 
by  the  writer  that  a  large  number  of  hard-wooded  shrubs  and 
trees  are  capable  of  very  rapid  increase  when  propagated  by 
processes  which  may  be  termed  the  seedling-inarch  and  nurse- 
plant  methods. 


50  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


FIG.    2.     The    Rose    seedlings    shown    in    Fig.    1,    four    weeks    after 
germination,  prepared  for  inarching 


THE    SEEDLING-INARCH  51 

These  methods  are  inexpensive  and,  owing  to  their  simplicity, 
may  be  used  by  persons  without  previous  experience  in  the 
propagation  of  plants.  By  these  methods  the  ever-increasing 
number  of  plant  breeders  will  be  able  to  save  much  time  in  de- 
termining the  value  of  hard-wooded  plants  raised  by  means  of 
hybridization.  They  can  be  used  in  manipulating  seedlings  of 
rare  trees  and  shrubs  intended  for  crossing  so  that  each  plant 
will  bloom  in  a  much  shorter  time  than  if  left  to  grow  on  its 
own  roots.  Seedlings  of  all  hard-wooded  plants  resulting  from 
collections  made  by  travelers  in  foreign  countries  may  thus  be 
brought  to  the  flowering  stage  and  their  value  determined 
quickly. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  of  the  new  methods  lies  not 
only  in  their  simplicity  but  also  in  the  certainty  of  the  unions 
which  result.  The  writer  has  had  very  few  unsuccessful  unions 
and  none  among  those  classes  of  plants  where  the  most  suitable 
stocks  are  known  and  in  common  use.  Not  only  is  it  possible  to 
inarch  a  seedling  a  few  weeks  old  to  a  large  stock,  but  a  moderate 
sized  seedling  stock  can  be  inarched  to  a  shoot  of  a  rare  shrub 
or  tree  having  the  same  diameter  as  the  stem  of  the  seedling.  A 
satisfactory  union  may  thus  be  induced  where  other  methods  of 
asexual  propagation  have  invariably  failed. 

Rose  seedlings  resulting  from  crossing  varieties  have  been 
inarched  on  Manetti  stocks  when  the  seedlings  were  from  three 
to  four  weeks  old,  and  they  produced  maximum  sized  flowers 
long  in  advance  of  those  on  seedling  plants  growing  on  their 
own  roots.  The  rare  Finger  Lime,  Citrus  australasica,  some- 
times seen  in  a  dwarf,  sickly  condition  in  greenhouse  collections, 
has  borne  fruit  two  years  after  inarching  on  one  of  its  congen- 
ers; and  within  nine  months  after  flowering,  hybrid  seedlings 
between  this  Citrus  and  a  cultivated  Orange  were  in  their  turn 
inarched  on  two-year-old  Lemon  seedlings. 

Very  young  seedlings  of  hundreds  of  other  rare  hard-wooded 
plants  may  be  worked  on  the  same  or  allied  species  or  genera, 


52 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


and  their  value  determined  much  in  advance  of  the  time  when 
they  would  flower  on  their  own  roots,  or  on  plants  obtained  by 
grafting  or  budding  from  the  mature  shoots  of  the  seedlings. 

Hard-wooded  seedlings  which  need  to  be  flowered  in  the 
shortest  possible  space  of  time,  in  order  to  determine  their  value, 
are  used  for  inarching  as  soon  as  the  first  leaves  attain  a  fairly 


FIG.  3.     Rose   seedlings,   four  weeks   after  germination,  inarched  to 

stocks  of  the  Manetti  Rose.     During  the  process  of  uniting  the 

seedlings   are  kept  in  a  moist  and  growing  condition  by 

the  soil  held  around  the  union  by  burlap.     A  good 

union  is  effected  in  three  to  four  weeks 


firm  texture,  as,  for  example  in  the  case  of  the  Mangosteen. 
But  when  seedlings  are  used  as  stocks  for  the  vegetative  propaga- 
tion of  established  varieties  by  uniting  the  stocks  to  small 
branches,  then  larger  seedlings  are  used,  as  for  example,  in  the 
case  of  the  Mango. 


THE    SEEDLING-INARCH  53 

INARCHING  ROSE  SEEDLINGS 

Seedlings  of  some  of  the  Rose  groups  resulting  from  crossing 
distinct  varieties  or  otherwise  take  more  than  one  season  to 
produce  flowers  of  maximum  size  to  enable  the  breeder  to  judge 
of  their  merits.  They  take  much  longer  to  develop  when  bud- 
ded on  Manetti  or  other  stocks,  because  in  that  case  a  consider- 
able time  has  to  elapse  before  the  growth  of  the  seedling  is 
strong  enough  to  give  buds  and  wood  fit  for  propagation  by 
budding  or  by  grafting.  Rose  seedlings  three  to  four  weeks  old, 
or  after  the  first  few  character  leaves  are  developed,  lend  them- 
selves very  readily  to  the  seedling-inarch  method  of  propagation. 
Tea  and  Hybrid  Tea  seedling  Roses  will  give  flowers  of  maxi- 
mum size  very  quickly  after  the  tiny  seedlings  are  inarched  to 
strong-growing  Manetti  or  other  stocks,  thereby  saving  much 
time  in  preliminary  tests. 

The  operation  of  inarching  is  simplified  if  each  seedling  is 
pricked  off  into  a  2-in.  pot  shortly  after  the  cotyledons  are 
developed.  The  seedling  should  be  placed  as  near  the  rim  as 
possible  (Fig.  1).  In  two  or  three  weeks  the  seedling  makes 
sufficient  growth  to  be  removed  from  the  pot,  when  a  little 
fresh  soil  is  held  in  place  around  the  root  by  a  piece  of  cloth 
about  5  in.  square  (Fig.  2).  The  ball  containing  the  roots  of 
the  seedling  is  secured  to  the  stock,  the  stem  of  the  seedling  be- 
ing placed  close  to  it,  so  that  the  inarch  may  be  easily  accom- 
plished (Fig.  3).  The  union  is  a  rapid  one  and  becomes  perfect 
some  time  before  the  cotyledons  decay. 

It  is  well  known  that  many  seedling  Roses  on  their  own 
roots  produce  flowers  before  the  cotyledons  decay,  but  the  flow- 
ers are  necessarily  small  and  have  little  to  indicate  their  eventual 
value.  The  seedling-inarch  system  shortens  very  considerably 
the  period  between  germination  and  the  production  of  flowers  of 
maximum  size — a  material  aid  to  the  breeder  in  determining  the 
value  of  the  seedling  within  a  few  months  after  germination 
(Fig.  4). 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE   CULTURE 


FIG.   4.     Inarched   Rose   seedling,   showing  the  growth  made   in  two 
months  after  inarching.     (One  and  one-fourth  times  natural  size) 


THE    SEEDLING-INARCH  55 

Seedlings  raised  from  seeds  of  new  and  rare  trees,  shrubs, 
and  vines  may  be  induced  to  grow  very  quickly  if  used  as 
cions  when  a  few  weeks  old,  by  inarching  to  strong-growing 
plants  of  other  species  of  the  same  genus,  or  in  some  cases  on 
species  of  other  genera  of  the  same  family.  This  has  been  done 
recently  with  such  plants  as  Chestnuts,  Walnuts,  Hawthorns, 
Oaks,  and  many  others.  It  is  not  necessarily  done  for  the  pur- 
pose of  hastening  the  flowering  or  the  fruiting  of  new  plants, 
but  to  give  quickly  an  abundance  of  material  for  propagation 
by  budding  or  grafting  when  the  new  material  is  assumed  to  be 
valuable. 

If  a  hard-wood  seedling  of  hybrid  origin  is  tied  to  a  large 
stock  and  they  fail  to  unite,  there  is  little  or  no  danger  of  losing 
the  seedling,  provided  its  roots  are  kept  damp  during  the  period 
of  making  the  attempt.  If  the  inarch  is  not  successful,  the  seed- 
ling can  be  repotted  and  grown  in  the  usual  way. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

PREPARATION  OF  THE  SOIL  FOR  PLANTING 

THE  best  soil  for  planting  Roses  is  that  taken  from  the 
top  of  good  pasture  land  out  of  the  open  field.  Avoid 
hedgerows,  and  loam  from  under  trees,  as  this  is  liable  to  be 
either  full  of  insect  pests  or  sour.  Plow  up  as  much  as  you  need 
in  the  Fall  or  in  early  Spring.  Sod  is  easier  to  work  after  Fall 
plowing.  If  you  wait  until  Spring,  plow  early  and  take  off 
the  loam  before  the  grubs  come  up  from  their  Winter  quarters. 
For  small  growers,  the  old-fashioned  loam  pile  may  be  the  best 
method. 

Commence  by  laying  out  the  shape  and  size  desired  by 
placing  the  sod  and  loam  about  a  foot  thick.  On  this  spread 
four  inches  of  good  fresh  cow  manure  and  keep  this  up  until 
you  have  a  pile  about  six  feet  high  which,  when  covered  with 
loam,  will  consist  of  one-fourth  or  one-fifth  good  cow  manure. 
Turn  the  top  layer  of  sod  grass  down.  Do  not  take  off 
more  than  six  inches  of  loam  from  the  field.  In  two  weeks  this 
loam  pile  may  be  chopped  down,  well  mixed  and  turned  over, 
choosing  good  sunny  weather  for  this  work.  After  two  weeks 
more  it  may  be  turned  over  again  and  is  ready  for  use.  This 
is  the  old-fashioned  method. 

On  most  large  places  today,  a  pair  of  horses  and  a  disc- 
harrow  are  put  on  to  a  piece  of  ground  to  cut  up  the  sod  after 
plowing.  The  top  loam  and  sod  are  then  scraped  into  rows 
about  a  foot  deep  and  as  wide  as  can  be  worked  with  the  har- 
row. The  manure  is  spread  on  and  mixed  with  the  harrow. 
On  some  places,  lime  or  bonemeal  is  mixed  in  at  this  time. 
This  way  is  much  quicker  than  piling  up  loam  and  chopping 


PREPARATION    OF    THE    SOIL 


57 


58  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


ROSE     KlLLARJfEY 

Has  produced  more  sports  than  any  other  variety.   A  charming  Rose 


PREPARATION    OF    THE    SOIL  59 

down  by  hand,  and  has  the  advantage  of  exposing  the  soil  to  the 
sun  and  air  all  the  time. 

Roses  may  be  successfully  grown  on  benches  or  in  solid  beds. 
On  some  of  our  largest  places  benches  are  used  altogether; 
on  others  we  find  all  solid  beds.  Whatever  style 
is  used  good  drainage  is  essential.  On  most  places 
there  is  little  difference  in  the  results  at  the  end  of 
the  year,  providing  all  the  essential  details  have  been  carried 
out.  If  the  benches  give  a  little  better  result  in  Midwinter, 
the  solid  beds  will  probably  make  up  the  difference  in  the  Sum- 
mer. Benches  should  be  built  rather  narrow  than  wide,  as  the 
former  are  easier  to  wTork  among  and  give  better  results.  The 
best  Roses  are  grown  on  the  outside  of  the  benches,  where  they 
get  the  maximum  amount  of  air  and  light;  those  in  the  middle 
of  a  very  wide  bench  are  always  the  poorest.  Five  feet  is  the 
widest  a  bench  should  be  built.  We  prefer  one  four  feet  wide, 
and  plant  four  rows  of  plants,  sixteen  inches  apart  in  the  row. 
Other  growers  get  good  results  on  benches  four  feet  three  inches 
wide  and  plant  five  rows  sixteen  inches  apart. 

The  sides  of  the  benches  may  be  six  inches  deep,  which  al- 
lows for  topdressing,  and  plants  may  be  grown  successfully 
several  years  in  such  a  bench.  When  the  benches  are  filled  with 
loam,  the  top  of  the  soil  should  be  level  with  the  bottom  of  the 
glass  in  the  sides  of  the  house. 

Solid  beds  are  best  made  by  building  a  wall  of  cement,  brick, 
or  tile,  of  the  required  height,  and  filling  in  the  bottom  with 
any  good  drainage.  These  walls  need  not  be  more  than  2 
inches  thick  if  good  material  is  used.  These  need  not  be  built 
as  high  as  the  benches,  on  account  of  the  expense,  but  should  be 
well  up  into  the  light.  Give  the  benches  a  good  coating  of  lime 
wash  and  fill  the  house  with  the  loam  as  quickly  as  possible. 
Never  handle  the  loam  when  it  is  wet  if  it  can  be  avoided.  Put 
on  as  large  a  gang  as  possible,  for  this  is  the  hardest  work  of  the 
year,  and  the  mutual  benefit  the  men  get  from  having  a  crowd 


60  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

able  to  handle  the  work  well  and  quickly,  when  all  are  doing 
their  best,  will  mean  better  work  in  a  shorter  time.  And  time 
is  money  in  planting  Roses  for,  as  soon  as  they  are  planted, 
they  begin  their  work  and  never  cease  until  they  are  thrown 
out  or  dried  off  the  following  Summer. 

The  easiest  way  to  fill  houses  is  to  have  a  movable  sash 
on  the  sides  of  the  house,  then  to  draw  the  carts  alongside  and 
to  throw  the  loam  inside  to  the  men,  who  pass  it  along  and 
spread  it  on  the  benches.  This  is  a  much  quicker  way  than  the 
old-fashioned  wheelbarrow  method,  although,  in  extra  wide 
houses,  it  might  be  wheeled  inside  to  advantage.  On  up-to-date 
places  a  movable  track  and  trucks  on  four  wheels  are  used. 
These  trucks  will  hold  from  four  to  six  times  as  much  as  a 
wheelbarrow  and  may  be  easily  operated  by  two  men.  Six 
men  will  do  as  much  with  these  as  twelve  men  can  do  without 
them  on  long  hauls.  Level  off  with  a  rake,  as  you  go  along,  so 
as  to  make  sure  of  getting  the  benches  filled  evenly.  Tread 
down  after  filling,  unless  the  loam  is  wet  or  of  a  clayey  nature. 
It  may  then  be  raked  lightly  to  give  it  the  final  leveling,  then 
marked  off. 

We  use  a  marker,  made  of  light  wooden  strips,  after  the 
style  of  a  tooth  harrow.  It  is  just  wide  enough  to  fit  inside  the 
benches  so  the  plants  can  never  get  out  of  line.  Commence  by 
setting  it  down  on  one  end  of  the  bed,  pressing  it  into  the  soil 
so  as  to  leave  the  marks  where  the  plants  are  to  be  set.  Twenty- 
four  holes  can  be  marked  off  at  one  time,  when  lifted  by  one 
man  (or  by  a  man  on  either  side,  for  more  rapid  work)  ;  it  is 
set  down  again  with  one  row  of  pegs  in  the  end  holes;  in  this 
way  every  place  must  be  accurately  marked  and  the  time  saved 
is  considerable.  A  line  is  often  in  the  way  when  planting,  and 
time  is  lost  in  moving  it  from  one  place  to  another.  With  the 
marker  the  full  width  of  the  bed  can  be  planted  at  once  if 
necessary. 


PREPARATION    OF    THE    SOIL  61 

Let  a  good  man  pick  out  the  stock;  all  poor  plants  should 
be  rejected.  It  costs  no  more  to  care  for  good  ones  and  the 
returns  are  much  larger  than  from  the  inferior  plants.  It  will 
keep  two  men  busy  carrying  in  the  plants  and  setting  them  out 
on  the  benches,  two  more  to  dig  holes,  and  two  of  the  best  men 
to  plant. 

As  soon  as  planted  the  soil  around  each  plant  should  be 
pounded  down  with  a  piece  of  hard  wood,  making  it  firm  and 
leaving  a  slight  hole  around  each  plant  so  that  it  may  be 
watered  without  wetting  all  the  soil  in  the  bed.  Give  the  plants 
a  good  soaking  to  settle  the  soil  well  around  them;  no  more 
water  is  then  to  be  given  until  the  plants  are  on  the  dry  side, 
but  syringe  well  several  times  daily  and  damp  down  the  walks 
and  beds  to  maintain  a  growing  atmosphere. 

There  is  little  fear  of  too  much  damping  down  in  the  scorch- 
ing days  of  Midsummer;  with  the  houses  wide  open  evapora- 
tion is  rapid,  and  the  plants  will  not  make  a  good  growth  un- 
less well  damped  down;  but  avoid  soaking  the  loam  in  the 
benches  or  it  may  sour.  Cultivate  the  ground  by  scratching 
over  the  top  once  a  week  for  a  few  weeks.  This  will  kill  the 
weeds,  aerate  the  soil  and  conserve  the  moisture. 

As  soon  as  the  roots  spread  through  the  benches,  discontinue 
the  cultivating,  or  be  very  careful  to  go  lightly  on  top  so  as  not 
to  injure  the  roots.  Keep  the  young  plants  tied  up  and  keep 
them  clean  in  every  way.  Increase  the  water  given  as  the  plants 
grow,  but  always  be  careful  in  the  Fall  not  to  overdo  it.  As 
the  nights  lengthen  and  get  cooler,  reduce  the  syringing  and 
damping  down  processes  and  always  have  the  foliage  dry  before 
sundown. 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  planting  I  might  mention  that 
a  cloudy  day  is  much  the  best  for  this  work — best  for  the  men, 
and  also  for  the  plants.  On  at  least  one  of  the  largest  com- 
mercial ranges  I  know  of  a  gang  is  put  on  at  4  a.m.  and  the 
planting  for  the  day  is  finished  by  9  a.m. 


62 


COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 


The  old  loam  from  the  houses  may  be  spread  back  on  the 
land,  reseeded,  and  in  a  few  years'  time  will  be  good  to  use 
over  again,  if  needed.  There  is  nothing  better  for  topdressing 
grass  land  than  old  soil  taken  out  of  the  Rose  benches. 

Plant  the  varieties  subject  to  mildew  away  from  others  not 
so  liable  to  be  affected,  and  plant  some  Richmond,  Killarney, 
and  similar  varieties,  in  solid  beds,  if  possible,  as  these  come 
with  more  substance  in  the  hot  weather  on  solid  beds  than  on 
benches. 


ROSE  DABK  PINK  KILLARNEY 

Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


CHAPTER  IX 

GENERAL  CULTURE 

THE  work  after  planting  will  consist  of  careful  attention 
to  detail  as  regards  the  culture  of  the  plants  and  in 
pushing  ahead  all  unfinished  construction  work  as  quickly  as 
possible.  The  time  passes  very  quickly  and  the  sooner  every- 
thing is  in  good  shape  the  better  it  will  be.  The  heating  ap- 
paratus should  be  tested  and  kept  in  readiness  for  use  as  soon 
as  needed. 

The  object,  at  first,  is  to  get  the  beds  filled  with  roots  and 
to  get  good  healthy  plants  of  a  fair  size.  The  flower  buds  are 
cut  off  through  the  Summer  and  thrown  away.  Some  growers 
take  off  the  buds  when  about  the  size  of  peas,  while  others  leave 
them  until  the  flower  is  open  before  removing  them.  I  would 
advise  taking  them  off  as  soon  as  they  show  color.  We  are 
guided  by  the  size  and  condition  of  the  plant  when 
disbudding.  Take  off  any  useless  wood  with  the  bud,  but  leave 
on  every  good  leaf  and  eye;  generally  one  or  two  of  the  top 
leaves  only  are  taken  off  when  throwing  away  the  buds. 

After  the  plants  have  attained  some  size,  say  in  September, 
a  few  of  the  best  buds  on  each  plant  may  be  allowed  to  develop, 
still  pinching  off  the  buds  from  the  smaller  wood.  This  helps 
to  build  up  the  plant  and,  when  the  flowers  are  removed,  there 
is  not  such  a  shock  given  the  plant  as  when  all  the  flowers  are 
removed  at  once.  The  smaller  plants  may  be  disbudded  up  to 
the  time  that  they  catch  up  to  the  larger  ones  when  they  will 
be  in  good  shape  to  work  all  through  the  Winter  months. 

If  flowers  are  desired  for  special  occasions,  eight  weeks 
should  be  allowed,  in  Midwinter,  after  the  final  pinching,  and 


64  COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 

six  weeks  in  Midsummer.  This  time  is  approximate;  it  could 
not  be  given  exactly,  as  time  varies  with  the  ever  changing 
weather  conditions,  and  what  is  just  right  this  year  may  be  a 
week  or  more  wrong  the  next. 

Where  a  succession  of  bloom  is  desired,  which  is  really 
what  every  man  needs,  a  good  plan  is  to  start  the  plants  flow- 
ering at  intervals  of  two  weeks,  dividing  them  up  into  as  many 
lots  as  possible  or  desirable,  according  to  the  size  of  the  place 
and  the  requirements  of  the  market. 

Staking  should  be  done  as  soon  as  possible  after  planting. 
We  use  stakes  of  No.  9  wire,  four  feet  long.  These  are  fastened 
with  clips  at  the  top,  to  a  wire  running  the  length  of  the  bed 
and  securely  fastened  and  held  tight  on  the  ends;  No.  18,  or 
bench  wire,  is  used  for  this.  This  wire,  and  the  stakes,  are 
galvanized  and  last  a  great  many  years.  These  are  for  Tea 
and  Hybrid  Tea  Roses.  For  American  Beauty  Roses  an  ar- 
rangement of  wire  and  strings,  such  as  is  used  for  Asparagus, 
Smilax,  or  Chrysanthemums,  is  generally  used. 

Tie  up  all  plants  neatly  and  carefully  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  string  will  not  cut  the  bark,  and  avoid  bunching  the 
foliage.  Never  crowd  the  leaves.  Simply  tie  up  the  shoots  for 
support,  always  leaving  room  for  the  sun  and  air  to  get  at  the 
plants  and  on  the  beds,  and  for  the  water  to  reach  every  part 
when  syringing. 

Watering  must  be  done  carefully,  especially  in  the  dark 
days  of  Winter.  Generally  speaking,  this  can  be  done  about 
once  a  week  on  light  soils,  all  Winter,  but  no  rule  will  apply 
everywhere  alike.  It  is  better  to  err  on  the  under  watering 
side  than  to  overdo  it  in  November  and  December,  although  I 
have  seen  benches,  which  would  not  dry  out,  which  were 
benefited  by  having  a  thorough  soaking  of  warm  water  applied 
so  heavily  that  it  ran  through  the  bottom  and  cleared  away  any 
sourness  which  might  have  been  existing  in  the  soil.  After  the 
middle  of  January,  or  early  February,  Roses  will  take  more 


GENERAL    CULTURE  65 

water,  and  it  is  almost  impossible,  as  the  season  advances,  to 
overdo  this  if  only  reasonable  care  is  used. 

We  commence  using  manure  water  on  the  young  stock  in 
the  early  Fall,  giving  it  lightly  and  using  it  weak  at  first,  in- 
creasing the  strength  and  quantity  used  as  the  conditions  war- 
rant. Little  but  the  regular  weekly  application  of  manure  water 
is  used  through  the  Winter,  although  this  has  to  be  governed  by 
conditions.  When  planting  we  use  nothing  but  cow  manure 
in  the  loam.  About  September  or  October,  we  apply  a  light 
dusting  of  bonemeal,  using  about  100  Ibs.  for  every  2000  square 
feet  of  bench  surface.  This  may  be  worked  into  the  soil  by 
rubbing  over  lightly  with  the  fingers,  and  then  covering  with  an 
inch  or  more  of  equal  parts  of  good  cow  manure  and  loam, 
and  well  watering.  Be  careful  after  this  that  the  beds  do  not 
get  too  wet  with  the  subsequent  waterings.  This  mulching 
will  carry  the  plants  through  the  dark  days.  If  too  much  is 
applied,  making  a  heavy  blanket  on  the  beds,  harm  is  often  done 
as  the  beds  cannot  dry  out  and  the  loam  gets  cold  and  sour. 

Toward  Spring,  when  the  sun  gets  powerful,  it  is  often 
beneficial  to  apply  a  good  coating  of  green  cow  manure,  cover- 
ing this  with  a  sprinkling  of  loam  to  keep  the  nitrogen  from 
escaping.  A  little  air  should  be  left  on  the  house  day  and  night 
for  two  or  three  nights  when  applying  this,  or  the  foliage  may 
be  burned.  It  is  best  to  apply  this  manure  when  the  beds  are 
in  a  condition  to  take  water;  then  give  a  good  soaking  as  soon 
as  the  manure  is  on,  and  cover  with  loam  before  night.  In  this 
way  nothing  is  lost  and  the  loam  covering  is  not  washed  down 
immediately.  If  the  beds  do  not  require  water  at  this  time, 
cover  with  loam  as  soon  as  the  manure  is  applied  and  let  stand 
for  several  days  before  watering;  by  so  doing  the  beds  will  ab- 
sorb some  of  the  nitrogen  from  the  manure,  but  not  so  much 
as  when  watered  in  at  once.  This  is  considered  the  best  way 
by  some  growers. 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


ROSE     KlLLARNEY    QUEEN 

Large  growth  like  American  Beauty.     Not  so  free  flowering  as  the 
common  Killarney  from  which  it  sported 

'Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


GENERAL    CULTURE 


67 


ROSE  RICHMOND 

This  photograph  taken  Sept.  1,  shows  Richmond  a  good  Summer  Hose 
when  well  grown.     The  best  Winter  red  Rose. 


68  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

Ventilating  is  an  operation  so  simple,  and  yet  so  important, 
that  special  mention  should  be  made  of  it.  In  the  first  place, 
sudden  changes  should  be  avoided.  In  Midsummer  the  houses 
are  wide  open  at  the  top  and  often  the  end  doors  are  open,  in 
addition  to  side  ventilation  in  very  wide  houses.  And  yet  there 
is  not  a  night  in  the  hottest  weather  when  this  air  is  not  re- 
duced, commencing  to  reduce  earlier  in  the  afternoon  and  to 
increase  later  in  the  morning  as  the  cool  weather  approaches. 
There  is  no  set  time  for  this.  A  cold  storm  may  come  in  Mid- 
summer, making  it  imperative  to  reduce  air  and  start  the  fires, 
but,  as  a  rule,  the  transition  is  gradual  and  almost  imperceptible, 
like  the  changing  seasons. 

Some  air  is  left  on  all  night,  excepting  in  the  cold  Winter 
months.  When  three  or  four  1^4 -inch  steam  pipes  will  not 
keep  up  the  required  temperature  in  a  house  32  feet  wide,  the 
night  man  closes  the  house  for  a  few  hours;  and  it  is  the  same 
with  houses  50  to  60  feet  wide,  if  five  pipes,  or  six  at  the  most, 
will  not  keep  up  the  warmth.  In  warm  weather,  in  Spring  and 
Fall,  the  steam  is  turned  on  as  soon  as  the  temperature  com- 
mences to  fall,  which  is  between  8  p.m.  and  midnight,  according 
to  the  season,  and  left  on  a  few  hours,  when  it  is  taken  off 
and  turned  on  again  in  the  early  morning,  about  daylight,  for 
two  hours  more  should  it  have  been  too  warm  to  keep  up  the 
heat  all  night. 

We  always  keep  one  or  two  pipes  painted  with  sulphur  and 
use  these  at  this  time  of  the  year.  In  the  Winter,  little  air 
can  be  given,  but  in  the  Spring,  as  the  sun  gets  stronger,  it  is 
most  important  to  commence  to  ventilate  early.  A  good 
grower  will  anticipate  the  changing  temperature,  the  object 
of  which  is  to  increase  the  amount  of  air  without  lowering  the 
temperature  in  the  houses.  Increase  the  air  little  and  often, 
and  let  the  rise  be  gradual  from  sunrise  to  noon;  the  fall  from 
noon  to  sunset  to  be  along  the  same  line. 

Always  avoid  draughts  when  ventilating.    Where  the  house 


GENERAL    CULTURE  69 

has  continuous  ventilation  on  both  sides  of  the  roof  this  is  easy, 
as,  by  opening  both  sides  a  little  in  windy  weather,  the  air 
passes  through  the  top  without  beating  down  on  the  plants;  or 
the  lee  side  may  be  opened  wide  while  the  side  to  windward  is 
kept  closed. 

All  routine  work  should  be  done  well  and  on  time,  and  the 
houses  kept  clean  and  plants  free  at  all  times  from  all  pests  and 
diseases.  Air  slaked  lime  may  be  sprinkled  occasionally  under 
the  benches.  The  walks  should  be  kept  clean  and  free  from 
muddy  places  or  standing  water,  although  they  should  be 
damped  down  often  enough  so  that  they  are  never  dust  dry. 

Such  varieties  as  Kaiserin,  Carnot,  and  others,  used  for 
Summer  flowering,  may  remain  for  years  undisturbed  and  pro- 
duce the  best  flowers  in  this  way.  Summer  Roses  will  do  well  in 
a  house  not  quite  so  good  as  the  ones  required  for  Winter,  but 
for  Winter  work  the  best  houses  are  required,  and,  generally 
speaking,  these  houses  are  replanted  about  every  three  years. 

If  one-third  of  the  place  is  planted  every  twelve  months, 
you  have  plants  in  all  stages  of  growth,  and  can  keep  up  a  suc- 
cession of  flowers  all  the  year  around.  Commence  to  dry  off 
a  part  at  a  time  and  rest  it  'about  a  month.  Then  you  can 
start  a  few  benches  every  two  weeks,  which  will  enable  you  to 
start  up  the  last  lot  in  time  to  bring  in  a  good  crop  for  Christ- 
mas. 

It  is  advisable  to  leave  Roses  undisturbed  if  they  are  doing 
well  and  are  desirable  varieties  rather  than  to  replant.  They 
may  be  left  much  longer  in  solid  beds  than  on  benches. 

Commence  to  rest  your  plants  by  withholding  water  grad- 
ually and  syringing  but  little.  Do  not  let  the  soil  get  so  dry 
that  it  cracks  apart,  or  the  wood  so  dry  that  it  will  shrivel. 
More  harm  is  done  by  too  much  drying  than  otherwise,  and  it 
takes  such  plants  a  long  time  to  get  a  new  start.  When  ready 
to  start  a  batch,  cut  them  down  about  halfway ;  this  is  an  opera- 
tion which  may  be  varied  somewhat.  We  have  had  good  re- 


70  COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 

suits  from  leaving  plants  thirty  inches  high  and  just  as  good 
when  they  were  cut  down  to  within  ten  inches  of  the  ground. 
Some  growers  object  to  cutting  down  Killarney.  We  have 
had  good  results  in  almost  every  style  and  would  cut  back  hard 
any  time  before  the  middle  of  August.  After  Sept.  1st  we 
would  not  cut  back  very  much.  Some  growers  tie 
down  their  old  plants,  others  prefer  to  leave  them 
standing  upright.  There  is  little  difference  in  the  re- 
sult, perhaps  a  greater  tendency  to  black  spot  where  tied  down 
as  the  air  cannot  circulate  through  the  bushes  so  well  in  this 
case.  As  a  rule  the  earlier  it  is  in  the  season  the  harder  we 
cut  them. 

As  soon  as  pruned  we  scrape  off  the  top  loose  soil,  sprinkle 
with  bonemeal,  and  then  apply  a  good  coat  of  loam  and  cow 
manure  in  equal  parts,  about  two  inches  thick.  The  beds  are 
then  well  watered ;  this  is  best  done  by  going  over  them  two  or 
three  times,  as  soon  as  the  covering  is  on  and  then  repeating  the 
operation  the  next  day.  After  they  are  once  soaked,  no  more 
water  at  the  roots  is  required  for  some  time,  but  the  tops  will 
require  syringing  several  times  daily  to  induce  the  plants  to 
make  a  new  growth.  As  they  grow  they  will  require  the  usual 
treatment.  It  is  well,  when  replanting  in  the  Summer,  to  pot 
up  a  few  of  the  best  plants  before  throwing  out  stock  from 
benches.  These  will  be  found  useful  to  fill  in  any  vacant  space 
or  to  replace  poorer  plants  among  the  stock  carried  over. 

The  best  night  temperature  for  the  general  run  of  Roses  is 
58°  to  60°.  Some  varieties  require  more  heat,  but,  as  a  rule, 
these  are  not  profitable  kinds  for  the  small  grower  to  handle. 
The  heat  should  rise  to  70°  or  75°  at  noon  on  every  sunny 
day  in  the  Winter.  On  stormy,  zero  days,  it  will  sometimes 
be  impossible,  nor  is  it  desirable  to  increase  the  temperature 
more  than  a  few  degrees  by  noon,  and  in  semi-dark  weather 
68°  at  noon  gives  the  best  results  in  the  long  run. 


CHAPTER  X 

INSECT   PESTS 

GREEN  FLY  is  a  pest  so  common  that  it  needs  no  descrip- 
tion. These  insects  were  hard  to  overcome  and  did  much 
damage,  years  ago,  when  burning  Tobacco  stems  was  in  vogue, 
to  the  detriment  of  the  flowers.  We  have  now  good  proprie- 
tary articles  advertised  in  the  trade  papers  which  are  so  effec- 
tive in  killing  green  fly,  and  so  harmless  to  the  flowers,  that 
there  is  no  excuse  for  anyone  being  troubled  by  these  pests; 
the  cost  of  the  remedies,  although  rather  high,  is  not  excessive 
when  the  results  obtained  are  considered. 

In  burning  the  various  forms  of  nicoteen  paper,  follow  the 
directions  given  as  closely  as  possible.  Do  not  wait  until  a 
house  is  overrun  before  applying  the  remedy,  but  fumigate 
lightly  and  often.  If  you  apply  preventive  measures  and  never 
see  any  green  fly,  which  is  possible,  you  are  better  off  than  if 
you  await  their  arrival  and  then  give  a  heavy  dose.  All  fumiga- 
tion is  best  done  on  a  still  night  when  the  air  is  moist  inside. 
A  good,  sharp  syringing,  if  the  weather  is  fine  the  next  morning, 
will  clean  off  and  freshen  up  the  plants.  In  case  of  neglect, 
where  the  fly  is  thick  and  established,  two  or  three  fumigations, 
at  intervals  of  one  or  two  days  each,  will  be  necessary  to  clean 
them  out. 

Red  spider  is  another  pest  common  in  some  Rose  houses, 
but  is  easily  controlled  if  the  proper  measures  are  taken 
for  its  suppression.  It  is  not  usually  troublesome  on  Roses  out 
of  doors,  but  under  glass  they  may  breed  at  any  season  of  the 
year.  These  insects  are  so  small  as  to  be  scarcely  discernible 
with  the  naked  eye,  and  their  presence  is  made  known  by  the 


72 


COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 


ROSE  DARK  PIXK  KILT.ARXEY 

A  beautiful  color  and  very  floriferous.     Grow  rather  cool  (56  to  58 
degrees   right   temperature)    to   get  substance  in  the  flowers 

Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


INSECT    PESTS 


ROSE  Mas.  TAFT 
(Antoine  Rivoire)  The  most  profitable  Summer  Rose  today 

Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


74  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

coloring  of  the  leaf.  These  insects  live  on  the  underside  of  the 
leaf;  here  they  lay  their  eggs,  which  they  protect  with  a  fine 
silken  web,  in  consequence  of  which  they  are  hard  to  destroy. 
The  best  remedy  is  a  good,  sharp  syringing  on  the  under- 
side of  the  leaves,  taking  care  to  reach  every  part  to  dislodge 
them  all.  The  water  must  be  forcibly  applied;  it  is  ineffective 
otherwise ;  a  pressure  of  60  Ibs.  to  the  square  inch  is  good ;  less 
than  40  Ibs.  is  not  enough.  A  thin,  sharp  spray  is  needed,  un- 
like the  soft  stream  used  when  watering.  Sulphur  painted  on 
the  pipes  in  sufficient  quantity  will  kill  red  spider,  but  this  must 
be  kept  up  for  a  week  or  so,  as  it  does  not  affect  the  eggs  which 
hatch  out  and  produce  a  new  crop.  The  objection  to  sulphur 
so  strong  on  the  steam  pipes  is  that  the  color  of  the  flowers  is 
damaged  thereby  and  a  few  leaves  may  fall  from  the  bushes, 
but,  beyond  this,  I  have  never  seen  any  other  harm  from  its  use 
in  this  way. 

A  very  hot,  dry  atmosphere  in  a  Rose  house  is  conducive  to 
the  spread  of  red  spider  and  the  opposite  condition  has  a  deter- 
rent effect.  There  are  good  articles  on  the  market  for  use  as 
a  spray  against  this  pest  which  are  worth  trying;  do  not  con- 
demn them  without  a  careful  investigation. 

Thrips  are  small  winged  insects  less  than  an  eighth  of  an 
inch  long.  The  havoc  wrought  among  the  foliage  by  them  is 
similar  to  that  caused  by  red  spider;  their  presence  is  noted  by 
the  pale  mottling  of  the  leaf  on  which  they  feed.  They  also 
feed  upon  the  buds  and  are  partial  to  American  Beauty.  All 
affected  buds  should  be  cut  off  and  burned,  and  all  dead  leaves 
and  rubbish  kept  cleaned  away.  Fumigate  regularly  with 
Nicofume,  or  similar  article,  and  spray  with  a  good  tobacco 
extract. 

Another  remedy  is  to  heat  iron  plates  almost  red  hot;  the 
house  must  be  closed  tightly,  as  it  must  always  be  for  any  fumi- 
gating to  be  effective.  Set  the  plates  about  25  feet  apart  and 
provide  two  rows  if  the  house  is  wide.  Commence  at  the 


INSECT    PESTS 


75 


ROSE  DOUBLE  PIXK  KILLARXEY 
A  sport  of  great  promise.     A  good  Summer  variety 

Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


76  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

farther  end  and  place  a  spoonful  of  cayenne  pepper  on  each 
plate,  working  out  of  the  house  as  quickly  as  possible.  Do  not 
inhale  the  fumes  as  they  may  be  dangerous  if  the  pepper  is  used 
freely.  This  is  recommended  for  American  Beauty  especially, 
which  is  so  long  in  perfecting  its  flowers  that  much  damage  is 
sometimes  caused  by  thrips.  If  in  doubt  as  to  whether  you 
have  spider  or  thrips,  it  is  important  to  know  that  the  latter 
causes  white  spots  on  the  leaves,  while  the  former  shows  the 
foliage  brown  and  often  curled  under  at  the  edge  of  the  leaves. 
At  first  sight,  the  general  appearance  is  the  same  and  the  results 
are  similar,  in  that  Roses  can  be  put  out  of  commission  in  one 
or  two  weeks  when  either  pest  gains  a  foothold. 

Beetles  are  sometimes  troublesome.  There  is  a  weevil 
of  a  dull  brown  color,  with  a  hard  shell  and  a  pointed  nose 
with  two  horns  or  feelers  on  the  end  of  it.  These  weevils  eat 
the  foliage.  They  are  about  one-third  of  an  inch  long;  they 
feed  at  night  and  rest  in  hiding  during  the  day;  they  may  be 
caught  in  the  early  morning  easily,  as  they  have  no  wings.  I 
have  seen  them  in  two  places  recently  but,  as  a  rule,  they  are 
not  a  serious  menace.  If  caught  and  killed  when  present  in 
small  quantities,  they  are  easily  controlled.  An  easy  way  to 
catch  them  is  to  hang  pieces  of  burlap  over  the  bushes,  resting 
them  on  the  stakes  and  letting  them  lie  among  and  on  the  plants. 
The  weevils  will  hide  in  these,  and  as  many  as  a  hundred  have 
been  caught  in  one  small  house  at  one  time  during  the  past 
Summer  in  Massachusetts.  A  very  light  jar  will  dislodge  them, 
and,  as  they  are  about  the  color  of  the  earth,  and  lie  still, 
shamming  death,  they  are  sometimes  hard  to  find  if  they  fall  to 
the  ground. 

The  weevils  lay  their  eggs  in  the  ground.  These  change  to 
white  grubs  with  brown  heads  and  without  legs.  The  grubs 
do  their  damage  to  the  roots  of  the  plants.  Carbon  bisulphide 
is  used  to  kill  them.  Make  holes  in  the  ground,  where  the 
grubs  abound,  with  a  pointed  stick.  These  holes  may  be  one 


INSECT   PESTS  77 

foot  apart  or  more,  according  to  circumstances.  Drop  in  a 
teaspoonful  of  the  liquid  and  cover  up  the  hole  at  once.  This 
remedy  may  also  be  used  to  kill  all  other  forms  of  grub. 

The  white  grub  so  common  in  pasture  lands  is  sometimes 
troublesome  among  Roses  newly  planted.  If  a  plant  suddenly 
wilts,  dig  carefully  around  it  and  you  may  find  the  grub  at 
work,  or  curled  up  if  at  rest,  or  he  may  have  traveled  along 
to  the  next  plant.  Kill  him  and  you  may  save  the  plant. 

Numerous  beetles  or  chafers  attack  Roses  outdoors.  They 
are  of  various  lengths  and  colors.  Hand  picking  on  cool,  cloudy 
days,  or  in  the  early  morning,  or  evening  is  best.  If  the  grubs 
in  the  ground  are  so  numerous  as  to  be  a  menace  to  the  roots, 
the  ground  may  be  forked  up  lightly  and  chickens  turned  in 
among  the  bushes;  they  will  eat  the  grubs  with  avidity.  Or, 
pieces  of  sod  may  be  placed  grass  side  down  under  the  earth 
where  grubs  are  numerous ;  these  sods  will  attract  the  grubs  and 
they  may  be  collected  and  killed.  The  carbon  bisulphide  remedy 
may  also  be  used.  This  will  kill  any  and  all  grubs  in  the  soil 
without  hurting  the  plants. 

Perhaps  the  most  destructive  pest  on  Roses  grown  under 
glass,  and  the  hardest  to  fight,  is  the  leaf  roller.  These  are 
the  young  of  moths  or  butterflies,  which  lay  their  eggs  on  the 
leaves.  They  hatch  into  caterpillars  about  three-fourths  of  an 
inch  long,  which  envelope  themselves  in  the  leaves,  curling  them 
up  and,  where  plentiful,  which  they  are  liable  to  become  if  neg- 
lected, will  ruin  a  house.  They  fall  to  the  ground  when  full 
grown,  and  enter  the  soil,  where  they  form  a  cocoon  and  re- 
main until  early  Spring,  at  which  time  they  come  forth  and  go 
through  the  round  of  reproduction  over  again,  so  that  once  a 
place  is  badly  infested  it  is  hard  to  get  rid  of  them. 

The  best  remedies  are,  hand  picking  of  the  caterpillars,  spray- 
ing the  foliage  with  poison,  and  catching  the  butterflies.  For 
spraying  the  foliage,  pan's  green,  not  more  than  a  teaspoonful  to 
ten  gallons  of  water,  applied  lightly  every  day  for  a  week,  has 


78  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

been  known  to  entirely  rid  a  house  of  these  pests.  Arsenate  of 
lead  in  about  the  same  proportion  (which  must  be  kept  well 
stirred  while  being  used)  is  sometimes  used  on  large  places,  or 
on  any  place  where  there  is  a  steam  pump  and  manure  tank 
these  can  be  utilized  to  advantage  for  poison  spraying,  and  a 
large  house  may  be  covered  very  cheaply  in  this  manner.  For 
catching  the  moths,  a  number  of  pie  plates,  filled  with  water, 
may  be  distributed  through  a  house.  In  the  middle  of  these 
set  a  lighted  kerosene  lamp.  The  flame  will  attract  the  moths; 
they  will  then  fall  into  the  water  and  may  be  collected  and  de- 
stroyed. The  work  will  have  to  be  kept  up  faithfully,  as  new 
crops  will  hatch  out  and  all  cannot  be  killed  at  one  operation. 
Hydrocyanic  acid  gas  has  been  tried  without  success,  so  far,  for 
this  pest. 


INSECT   PESTS 


ROSE  FRAU  KARL  DRUSCHKI 

An  American  lady  in  Europe  last  Summer  thought  this  a  wonderful 
new  Rose.   Her  gardener  showed  her  the  same  thing  at  home 


CHAPTER  XI 
FUNGOUS  DISEASES 

AS  stated  previously,  the  pests  and  diseases  of  the  Rose  are 
not  so  formidable  or  so  dangerous  if  the  proper  reme- 
dies or  preventives  are  applied  in  time.  It  is  when  neglect  has 
allowed  the  disease  or  insect  to  gain  the  upper  hand  that  serious 
results  follow.  Healthy  plants  are  seldom  a  prey  to  disease 
or  insects,  but  the  surest  way  to  invite  failure  is  through  a  weak, 
unhealthy  plant.  The  old  saying,  " Prevention  is  better  than 
cure,"  is  as  true  here  as  in  any  other  case.  Disease  and  death 
do  not  come  to  the  Rose  plant  in  a  day  unless  some  gross 
breach  of  fundamental  law  has  been  committed.  A  fungus 
spore  may  fall  on  a  leaf  today,  germinate  and  pass  into  the  in- 
terior of  the  leaf,  where  it  commences  to  form  a  spawn  that 
thrives  on  the  materials  which  the  plant  needs  for  its  own  use. 

This  process  of  growth  varies  somewhat  with  different  kinds 
of  fungi,  but  generally  takes  from  one  to  two  weeks  after  in- 
fection before  the  leaf  shows  any  signs  of  the  parasite.  When 
the  spawn  reaches  a  certain  stage,  it  shows  itself  by  different 
colored  patches  on  the  surface  of  the  leaf,  generally  brown  or 
yellow.  Later,  the  fruit  of  the  fungus  bursts  through  to  the 
surface,  and  it  is  at  this  time  that  it  is  very  infectious.  Every 
person  who  has  seen  mildew  in  this  stage  knows  that  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  check  its  ravages.  A  few  spots  showing  in  a  house 
today  will,  if  unchecked,  in  a  few  days  or  a  week,  result  in  an 
epidemic  which  will  soon  ruin  the  whole  crop.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  mildew  is  ever  present,  and  only  waiting  for  a 
favorable  opportunity  to  develop,  and  spread  itself.  The  reason 
it  is  so  troublesome  at  times  is  because  of  neglect  in  fighting  it 


FUNGOUS  DISEASES 


81 


ROSE  MRS.  JARDINE 
A  great  favorite  with  the  ladies.     Fine  for  select  trade 


82  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

when  it  was  present  in  its  weakest  form  and  could  then  have 
been  easily  overcome.  Foliage  which  is  soft,  caused  by  im- 
proper cultivation,  is  an  easy  prey  to  this  disease,  while  healthy, 
leathery  foliage  is  comparatively  immune. 

The  best  remedies  and  preventives  against  mildew  inside 
are  good,  strong,  healthy  plants,  united  to  cleanliness  and  careful 
watching  as  to  detail  in  cultivation.  Avoid  overwatering  in 
dark  weather,  syringe  carefully  and  not  too  often  in  the  Winter 
time.  Keep  a  little  sulphur  painted  on  the  pipes  all  the  time 
when  firing,  and  dust  a  little  dry  sulphur  on  tnc  iuli«s^  in  Mid- 
summer when  there  is  no  fire.  Let  this  remain  on  the  bushes, 
with  one  or  two  days  of  hot  sun  on  it,  before  washing  it  off. 
Renew  the  application  as  soon  as  the  bushes  are  dry,  if  neces- 
sary. When  the  first  spots  of  mildew  show  in  a  house,  the 
affected  leaves  should  be  picked  off  and  burned.  If  this  is 
persisted  in  for  a  few  days  the  disease  may  be  kept  from  spread- 
ing, if  the  sulphur  remedy  is  kept  up. 

A  muggy  atmosphere  in  a  house,  induced  by  too  much 
damping  down  and  too  little  air,  will  cause  mildew  to  spread 
rapidly.  When  mildew  reaches  the  fruiting  stage,  the  white 
powder  is  carried  by  the  wind  and  spread,  or  it  may  be  carried 
on  the  clothing  from  one  house  to  another.  At  this  time  it 
may  be  drowned  out  by  continuous  syringings  which  wash  off 
and  beat  down  the  spores,  destroying  a  great  many  of  them 
before  they  can  get  a  chance  to  alight  on  a  favorable  place  to 
reproduce  themselves.  If  mildew  has  been  present  in  the  Fall, 
all  the  leaves  that  were  affected,  which  show  signs  of  its  pres- 
ence, should  be  removed  and  destroyed,  or  an  outbreak  is  cer- 
tain in  the  Spring.  When  syringing  to  destroy  mildew,  always 
work  to  drive  it  away  from  (instead  of  on  to)  benches  that  are 
clean. 

Black  spot  is  a  disease  confined  to  the  foliage,  and  mostly 
troublesome  in  the  Fall  and  Winter  under  glass,  particularly 
on  American  Beauty  and  Richmond  Roses.  It  appears  in  the 


FUNGOUS   DISEASES  83 

form  of  black  or  purplish  spots,  sometimes  almost  circular  and 
about  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  or  the  spots  will  be  ir- 
regular in  outline.  The  blotches  are  most  distinct  on  the  upper 
side  of  the  leaf.  Although  looking  black  to  the  naked  eye,  if 
examined  with  a  microscope,  a  delicate  white  cobweb  will  be 
seen  covering  the  patches  and  stretching  toward  the  outside. 
This,  in  time,  develops  into  minute  black  specks,  which  is  the 
fruiting  stage.  It  is  easily  spread  around  and  soon  defoliates 
a  house. 

The  precautions  necessary  call  for  similar  treatment  to  that 
prescribed  for  keeping  away  mildew  as  regards  air,  cleanliness, 
and  water.  Overwatering,  sudden  checks,  drip  in  a  house,  and 
all  similar  conditions,  will  induce  its  appearance.  As  a  further 
preventive,  spraying  with  potassium  sulphide,  if  commenced 
early  and  continued  every  ten  days,  is  good,  or  any  of  the  regu- 
lar copper  solutions  may  be  used.  When  the  disease  appears,  all 
affected  leaves  should  be  picked  off  and  burned.  There  is  little 
use  trying  to  check  it  by  spraying  when  it  becomes  established, 
as  the  infestation  is  simultaneous  and  not  progressive.  Spray- 
ing is  done  to  prevent  rather  than  to  cure  black  spot.  Pick  off 
all  affected  leaves  from  the  plants  and  also  those  which  may 
be  on  the  ground,  and  keep  the  plants  on  the  dry  side  until  they 
get  a  clean  start.  Sprinkle  a  little  air-slaked  lime  around  and 
under  the  benches,  and,  with  a  bellows,  apply  air-slaked  lime 
mixed  with  an  equal  quantity  of  Grape  Dust,  on  the  foliage. 

ROSE    RUST 

This  form  of  rust  is  mostly  troublesome  on  Roses  outdoors, 
on  hardy  hybrid  varieties,  but  none  is  immune  from  it.  All 
affected  leaves  should  be  collected  in  the  Fall  and  burned  and 
any  affected  wood  cut  away.  Before  growth  commences  in  the 
Spring,  spraying  with  a  copper  solution  should  be  started,  and 
kept  up  regularly  until  the  growth  has  matured. 


84  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

BLACK    MILDEW 

This  is  a  disease  which,  fortunately,  is  little  seen  on  Roses. 
It  causes  young,  vigorous  leaves  to  suddenly  wilt  and  fall  off, 
the  young  shoots  will  droop  and  die  back  and,  if  not  checked, 
the  whole  plant  will  become  affected.  The  spread  of  this  dis- 
ease is  very  rapid  and  whole  houses  are  quickly  ruined  where 
it  has  gained  a  foothold.  The  general  appearance  of  the  foli- 
age, when  affected,  is  similar  to  that  caused  by  a  very  bad  dose 
of  red  spider.  Sulphur,  painted  on  the  pipes  strong  enough  to 
leave  a  deposit  of  sulphur  on  the  plants,  will  eradicate  this 
disease. 

ROSE   CANKER 

This  may  be  divided  into  two  parts,  and  we  will  first  con- 
sider this  disease  as  found  on  plants  which  have  been  grafted 
or  budded.  The  cause  is  an  accumulation  of  food  material  at 
the  junction  of  stock  and  cion  induced  by  the  unequal  ac- 
tivity of  the  same.  If  the  sap  is  flowing  from  the  stock  faster 
than  the  cion  can  use  it,  or  if  the  opposite  is  the  case,  a  mori- 
bund or  hidebound  condition  of  the  tissues  results,  and  canker 
or  rupture  supervenes.  We  have  a  very  recent  illustration  of 
this  in  the  Rose  My  Maryland  and  others,  which  do  not  al- 
ways succeed  well  on  Manetti.  It  is  simply  because  some  kinds 
do  not  hitch  up  well  together,  to  use  a  homely  phrase. 

Another  form  of  canker  is  found  on  outdoor  Roses,  com- 
mencing on  wood  of  the  second  year's  growth,  in  the  form  of 
red  patches  scattered  over  the  bark.  Sometimes  little  injury  re- 
sults from  this  other  than  the  seamy  appearance  of  the  bark 
which,  later,  disappears  in  warm  latitudes.  But,  where  frost  is 
common,  the  affected  parts  crack  during  the  Winter.  As  the 
bark  commences  to  grow  over  these  cracks  to  heal  the  wound, 
the  callus  is  affected  with  the  disease,  and  large,  rough  out- 
growths of  callus  are  formed.  All  diseased  branches  should  be 
removed,  and  the  burned  and  spotted  parts  painted  with  creo- 
sote. Cabot's  creosote  is  recommended  for  this  purpose? 


CHAPTER  XII 

INSECTICIDES  AND   FUNGICIDES 

THERE  are  a  number  of  proprietary  articles  on  the  market 
which  are  valuable  for  killing  insect  pests.  When  these 
are  used  the  directions  should  be  followed  carefully,  and,  if  in 
doubt  as  to  the  results,  as  with  a  new  article,  try  it  on  a  small 
scale  at  first.  Where  tobacco  stems  can  be  obtained  cheaply 
they  may  be  steeped  in  warm  water  and  the  liquid  used  when 
fresh  as  a  spray.  Use  it  full  strength  after  first  making  a  test 
on  a  small  scale.  Stems  of  tobacco  may  be  burned  when  no 
flowers  are  being  cut,  but  this  is  not  recommended;  it  is  dirty 
in  its  operation,  makes  a  lot  of  work,  and  often  does  harm  to  the 
flowers.  Tobacco  dust  may  be  used  by  burning,  or  by  being 
dusted  on  the  plants;  it  is  a  remedy  for  thrips,  green  fly,  etc. 

KEROSENE     EMUCSION 

Is  made  by  first  shaving  fine  one  pound  of  hard  soap.  Dissolve 
this  in  two  gallons  of  boiling  water,  stir  well,  and  while  hot 
add  four  gallons  of  kerosene.  Churn  this  well  with  a  spray  pump 
until  an  emulsion  is  secured ;  when  this  takes  place  it  will  be 
readily  noticed.  Dilute  this  stock  mixture,  when  used,  as  the 
conditions  require,  adding  at  least  ten  parts  of  water  to  one 
part  of  the  emulsion.  This  is  a  good  spray  for  red  spider, 
thrips,  etc.,  and  imparts  a  leathery  texture  to  the  foliage  which 
some  growers  claim  is  mildew  resisting. 

HELLEBORE 

May  be  dusted  on  the  flower  buds  and  foliage  for  thrips  and 
kindred  troubles.  Apply  this  on  the  under  side  of  the  foliage 
when  damp  so  it  will  adhere. 


86  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

There  are  a  number  of  poisons  which  may  be  used  for  killing 
insects,  but  their  use  is  not  often  necessary  and  therefore  is  not 
recommended  except  in  extreme  cases.  Mention  has  been  made 
of  Paris  green  and  arsenate  of  lead  in  another  chapter. 

SULPHUR 

Is  too  well  known  and  commonly  used  to  require  much  de- 
scription. It  is  insoluble  in  water,  but  fusible  with  heat.  When 
made  into  a  paste  and  painted  on  steam  pipes  it  is  melted  at 
once  if  the  pipes  are  full  of  live  steam.  Large  deposits  of  crude 
sulphur  are  found  in  certain  parts  of  the  world ;  after  different 
processes  of  manufacture,  which  include  distilling  and  subli- 
mating, a  fine  yellow  powder  like  flour  is  the  result,  which  is 
commonly  called  Flowers  of  Sulphur.  This  should  never  be 
evaporated  over  a  lamp  or  an  oil  stove,  or  over,  a  fire  of  any 
description  as,  if  it  burns,  a  gas  will  be  created  which  will  take 
all  the  foliage  off  the  plants.  Place  the  quantity  required  in  a 
small  pail,  add  water  to  make  a  paste,  and  crush  the  lumps  with 
the  hand.  Then  add  enough  water  to  make  a  paint,  which  is 
easily  applied  to  the  steam  pipes  with  a  large  paint  brush.  One 
pipe  painted  in  a  narrow  house  is  enough,  two  or  three  will  be 
required  in  the  wider  houses.  A  lump  of  lime  may  be  added, 
when  mixing,  to  help  it  stick  on  the  pipes.  Some  growers  make 
a  paste  of  pure  linseed  oil  and  sulphur  and  paint  this  on  the 
pipes,  but  this  is  unsightly  and  creates  a  bad  odor;  however,  it 
saves  sulphur  and  is  lasting.  Sulphur  continuously  applied  to 
an  iron  pipe  will  eat  it  away  in  time  sufficiently  so  as  to  impair 
its  lasting  qualities.  It  is  best  to  always  paint  the  same  pipe 
and  then,  if  damage  is  done,  that  particular  pipe  may  in  time 
be  replaced.  Dry  sulphur  may  be  dusted  on  the  foliage  with 
the  bellows  and  allowed  to  stay  on  in  the  hot  sun  for  a  few  days 
before  being  washed  off. 


INSECTICIDES   AND   FUNGICIDES  87 

SULPHIDE  OF  LIME 

May  be  easily  made  with  a  peck  of  lime  and  ten  pounds  of  sul- 
phur. Place  the  lime  in  a  half  barrel,  sprinkle  with  water, 
then  with  sulphur,  until  all  is  slaked.  Do  not  use  too  much 
w^ater  at  first  or  it  will  drown  the  lime,  nor  too  little  or  it  will 
burn  it.  Stir  well,  cover  and  let  boil  for  two  hours.  Then 
fill  with  water,  cover  and  let  stand  over  night.  In  the  morning 
a  thin  scum  will  be  formed;  take  this  off  and  throw  it  away. 
You  will  then  have  several  gallons  of  clear,  amber  colored  li- 
quid. Bottle  this  up  and  use  as  required;  for  mildew  on  foliage 
using  one  part  sulphide  to  thirty  parts  of  water.  After  taking 
off  the  first  lot  of  liquid  you  can  fill  up  the  barrel  with  water, 
stir  well  and  proceed  as  before,  when  a  second  lot  may  be  ob- 
tained. After  this  the  refuse  is  good  for  whitewashing  the  bot- 
toms of  benches. 

SULPHATE  OF  COPPER  OR  BLUE  VITRIOL 

Is  found  among  veins  of  copper.  It  is  manufactured  on  a  large 
scale  by  being  gently  roasted.  During  this  process  dioxygen  is 
absorbed  from  the  air,  the  product  is  then  dissolved  in  water 
and  the  remaining  salts  crystallized.  It  is  used  in  Paris  green, 
Bordeaux  and  other  mixtures. 

CARBONATE  OF  COPPER 

Also  used  in  spraying  solutions,  is  the  result  of  slow  and  various 
processes  of  refining,  and  is  useful  in  fungous  diseases. 

CYANIDE  OF  POTASSIUM 

Is  used  in  forming  the  deadly  hydrocyanic  acid  gas.  This  is  not 
used  by  Rose  growers  as  a  general  thing.  The  gas  will  kill 
any  insect,  scale,  or  animal  life.  Some  writers  claim  that  the 
cyanide  (which  looks  innocent  enough)  will  cause  death 
through  an  unprotected  wound  in  the  hand  or  by  simply  inhal- 


88 


COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 


ing  its  vapors.  This  was  probably  the  result  of  a  fertile  imagi- 
nation, but  withal  it  must  be  handled  with  great  caution.  The 
cyanide  is  permanent  in  dry  air  but  is  decomposed  in  moist  air 
so  that,  when  water  is  added,  the  deadly  gas  is  quickly  formed. 
To  make  sure  of  this,  and  to  hasten  the  decomposition  of  the 
cyanide,  sulphuric  acid  is  added  to  the  water.  A  small  lump 
of  the  cyanide  left  exposed  in  a  chest  where  seeds  or  specimens 
are  kept,  will  be  slowly  decomposed  by  the  moisture  in  the  case, 
and  give  off  enough  gas  to  kill  insect  life. 

Copper,  sulphur,  and  lime  are  principally  used  in  the  various 
mixtures  used  for  the  spraying  of  trees.  Soot  is  valuable  on  the 
foliage  and  on  the  ground  as  a  preventive  of  fungous  diseases, 
but  must  not  be  dusted  near  flowers,  or  it  will  disfigure  them. 


ROSE  DOROTHY  PERKINS 


CHAPTER  XIII 

FERTILIZERS 
Cow  MANURE  THE  BEST 

AS  fertilizing  material  in  which  to  grow  Roses  there  is 
nothing  to  beat  good  fresh  cow  manure,  if  properly  ap- 
plied; when  thoroughly  incorporated  into  the  soil  it  is  safe  to 
use  at  any  time.  If  used  fresh,  as  a  .top  dressing,  it  should 
always  have  a  light  covering  of  loam  on  top.  It  is  not  wise  to 
mix  lime  with  cow  manure  when  used  for  top  dressing;  too 
much  nitrogen  is  released  at  first  when  this  is  done,  then  it  is 
either  wasted  or,  if  too  strong,  is  liable  to  injure  the  plants. 
Manure  from  well  fed  dairy  cows  is  best ;  the  same  from  cows 
which  are  fed  from  the  refuse  of  breweries  should  not  be  used, 
as  it  has  been  condemned  by  experiment  stations  as  poisonous  to 
Roses  under  glass.  This  fact  does  not  seem  to  be  generally  un- 
derstood. A  case  was  called  to  my  attention  during  the  past 
Summer  where  a  number  of  Roses  were  killed  by  this  manure. 

Good  cow  manure  contains  all  the  essential  elements  re- 
quired in  about  the  right  proportion  to  produce  good  Roses, 
and  some  large  growers  who  have  tried  various  fertilizers  have 
abandoned  them  all  in  favor  of  it.  One  grower  went  so  far 
as  to  state  that  if  a  man  cannot  grow  Roses  with  plenty  of 
good  cow  manure  at  his  command  he  had  better  give  the  at- 
tempt up;  while  there  is  a  lot  of  truth  in  this,  the  statement 
may  be  modified  somewhat  for  soils  differ  a  great  deal. 

Rotted  or  partly  decomposed  cow  manure  is  good  but  has 
lost  a  portion  of  its  strength.  Buy  from  a  large  barn  to  insure 
freshness. 


90  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

BONEMEAL  IS  A  GOOD  FERTILIZER 

Bonemeal  is  used  principally  as  a  top  dressing  and  applied 
several  times  yearly  as  occasion  requires.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
mix  it  with  the  soil  at  planting  time  unless  barnyard  manure 
cannot  be  obtained,  for  good  rich  soil  will  carry  the  young 
stock  along  until  September  without  any  additional  fertilizers. 
Bonemeal  at  thirty  dollars  or  less  per  ton  is  not  an  expensive 
article,  results  considered.  It  is  easy  to  apply  and,  if  kept  dry, 
may  be  stored  and  kept  indefinitely.  Scientists  claim  that  it 
is  a  complete  fertilizer,  being  rich  in  phosphates,  limestone, 
mineral  salts,  etc.  It  is  a  lasting  one  and,  for  beds  which  are 
to  be  left  for  years  undisturbed,  might  be  used  in  a  rougher 
form,  mixed  in  the  soil.  For  the  quickest  results  bonemeal  or 
flour  is  applied.  It  is  important  to  obtain  fresh  ground  raw 
meal  if  possible.  Bones  which  have  been  subjected  to  a  steam- 
ing process  have  lost  a  part  of  their  value;  bones  which  have 
been  treated  with  acid  to  facilitate  manufacture  are  condemned 
as  injurious  to  plant  life  under  glass.  For  Roses  which  show 
a  tendency  to. make  blind  wood  a  light  sprinkling  of  bonemeal 
will  help  produce  flowers. 

WOOD  ASHES  RICH  IN  POTASH 

Wood  ashes  from  good  hard  wood  are  especially  good  for 
Rose  growing.  They  are  rich  in  potash  and  lime  and  contain 
a  fair  amount  of  phosphoric  acid,  also  a  small  amount  of 
nitrogen.  They  are  a  good  corrective  of  acid  soils.  They  may 
be  applied  rather  more  frequently  than  bonemeal  under  general 
conditions.  If  the  crop  is  off  color  wood  ashes  will  improve 
it  although  the  time  to  apply  is  when  the  growth  is  being  made. 
A  longer  stem  will  then  result  from  its  use. 

THE  VALUE  OF  SOOT 

Soot  is  one  of  the  richest  fertilizers  known.  It  contains 
sulphuric,  nitric  and  phosphoric  acids,  ammonia,  potash,  lime, 


FERTILIZERS 


91 


ROSE  RED  KILLARNEY 
Another  very  good  sport  from  Killarney,  not  yet  disseminated 

Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


92  COMMERCIAL  ROSE    CULTURE 

etc.,  and  may  be  obtained  from  the  chimneys  and  boiler  flues, 
but  the  burned  out  scrapings  from  boiler  tubes  are  of  no  value. 
They  should  all  be  saved  when  cleaning  out  flues,  etc.,  and 
stored  away  for  use.  Imported  Scotch  soot  is  a  good  article  to  buy 
and  is  a  good  fungicide  as  well  as  fertilizer.  For  a  topdressing, 
mix  soot  with  about  twice  its  bulk  of  good  fresh  soil  which  will 
make  less  dirt  when  using  it.  Spread  thinly  on  the  bench, 
using  about  one  bushel  to  500  square  feet  of  bench  surface. 
For  liquid  feeding,  mix  with  soft  water,  using  one  peck  of  soot 
to  one  hundred  and  twenty  gallons  of  water.  This  may  be  en- 
closed in  a  bag  with  a  string  on  the  end  and  shaken  around 
the  tank  occasionally.  Apply  this  when  the  plants  are  growing. 
It  will  greatly  increase  the  vigor  of  stems  and  foliage  and  im- 
prove the  color  of  the  flowers.  As  a  preventive  of  fungous  dis- 
eases soot  has  been  found  valuable  under  glass  and  outdoors. 
Dust  over  the  foliage  the  same  as  sulphur.  If  used  when  the 
growth  is  being  made,  it  can  be  well  washed  off  before  the 
flowers  develop. 

THE  USES  OF  LIME 

Lime  is  a  fertilizer  and  sweetener  of  the  soil  that  has  been 
used  for  ages,  not  so  much  as  a  direct  fertilizer  but  as  an  agent 
by  which  insoluble  potash  is  changed  into  available  food.  It 
is  possible  to  use  too  much  lime,  for  then  the  soil  is  depleted 
of  potash,  and  clay  soils  may  be  cemented  by  its  exclusive  use. 
Light  sandy  soils,  as  well  as  clay  soils,  are  benefited  by  the 
use  of  lime.  It  should  always  be  applied  on  top  of  the  ground 
and  lightly  raked  in  as  it  will  work  downward. 

Agricultural,  or  land  lime,  can  be  bought  fairly  cheap  and 
is  better  to  use  than  air  slaked  lime  from  the  fact  that  the  action 
of  the  carbonic  acid  of  the  air  converts  the  lime  into  carbonate 
of  lime  (the  form  in  which  it  existed  before  being  burned). 
Hydrated  lime,  sold  as  land  lime,  is  fresh  burned  lime  slaked 
and  pulverized  by  machinery.  Less  of  this  is  required  than 


FERTILIZERS  93 

when  air  slaked  lime  is  used.  Numerous  Government  experi- 
ment stations  have  demonstrated  the  value  of  lime,  and  its  value 
to  florists  has  been  clearly  proved.  A  light  sprinkling  on  top 
of  the  bench  is  all  that  is  required.  An  easy  test  to  determine 
whether  lime  is  required  is  to  take  two  tablespoonfuls  of  soil. 
Place  them  in  two  glasses,  fill  the  glasses  two-thirds  full  of 
water,  add  to  one  of  the  glasses  three  teaspoonfuls  of  dilute 
ammonia  water  (which  may  be  obtained  from  any  druggist), 
stir  each  glass  with  a  separate  spoon ;  if  the  one  to  which  the 
ammonia  water  was  not  added  shows  an  almost  colorless  liquid, 
while  the  one  which  did  receive  the  ammonia  shows  a  dark 
brown  or  black  liquid,  it  may  be  concluded  that  lime  would 
be  of  benefit,  for  the  soil  is  more  or  less  sour. 

Perhaps  a  more  common  test  is  to  place  a  few  tablespoonfuls 
of  soil  in  a  glass  and  moisten  with  water  to  form  a  thick  paste. 
A  strip  of  blue  litmus  paper  is  then  introduced ;  avoid  touching 
with  the  fingers  the  end  that  is  placed  in  the  soil.  The  soil  is 
parted  with  a  knife  and  then  pressed  firmly  about  the  paper. 
Having  allowed  it  to  stand  at  least  half  an  hour,  carefully  re- 
move the  soil  from  around  the  paper.  Then  remove  the  paper 
and  carefully  rinse  by  dipping  in  water  to  a  point  just  below 
where  the  soil  reached.  Do  not  dip  or  wet  the  paper  above 
this  point  or  the  blue  may  be  washed  down  to  the  lower  part. 
If  the  blue  has  disappeared  from  the  part  where  the  soil  was 
in  contact  and  a  red  color  has  taken  its  place  the  soil  will  be 
benefited  by  lime  for  Rose  growing. 

OTHER  FERTILIZING  MATERIAL 

Sheep  manure  is  often  used  where  cow  manure  cannot  easily 
be  obtained.  It  may  be  bought  in  bags,  pulverized,  and,  ap- 
plied fairly  thick,  is  valuable.  It  is  much  more  bulky  than  the 
articles  previously  mentioned  and  can  be  spread  on  four  times 
as  thick  as  bonemeal  and  similar  articles. 

Nitrate  of  soda  will  promote  a  rapid  and  soft  growth.  It 
should  be  used  with  care  until  you  are  thoroughly  acquainted 


94  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

with  it.  For  liquid  feeding  use  a  small  amount  and  note  the 
results  before  going  too  far.  If  for  a  topdressing  crush  out  all 
the  lumps  until  it  is  very  fine  and  mix  with  fresh,  rather  dry 
loam  and  spread  thinly  on  the  benches. 

Sulphate  of  ammonia  is  used  in  much  the  same  way  as  the 
nitrate  of  soda.  Very  quick  results  may  be  looked  for  when 
this  is  used.  It  will  impart  a  very  rich,  dark  color  to  the 
foliage  of  Roses  and  other  plants.  This  and  the  nitrate  may 
be  bought  in  lots  of  anywhere  between  five  pounds  or  as  many 
tons. 

There  are  other  articles  which  may  be  used,  but  these  cover 
the  requirements  of  the  average  grower.  They  are  all  very 
valuable  when  used  correctly  and  applied  in  the  proper  season, 
but,  if  improperly  applied,  serious  results  will  follow. 

The  beginner  had  better  pin  his  faith  on  good  barnyard 
manure  which  contains  all  the  essential  elements  generally  needed 
and  in  about  the  right  proportion  for  the  plant's  requirements. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  AMERICAN  BEAUTY  ROSE 

ITS  CULTURE 

GOOD  American  Beauty  Roses  are  being  grown  in  both 
even  span  and  three-quarter  span  houses.  A  medium 
heavy  loam,  taken  from  good  pasture  land,  and  mixed  with  one- 
fifth  cow  manure,  is  best  for  their  needs.  They  may  be  grown 
in  the  same  house  with  other  Roses  ordinarily  grown,  but  re- 
quire more  head  room  than  other  kinds. 

HINTS  ON  PROPAGATION 

When  cutting  off  wood  for  propagation  (and  these  Roses 
are  grown  on  their  own  roots),  pass  by  those  plants  whose 
foliage  is  at  all  off  color,  as  these  will  be  likely  to  lose  their 
leaves  before  making  roots,  and,  in  such  cases,  are  never  so  good 
for  future  use.  Avoid  also  the  extra  strong  growth  which 
often  runs  to  wood  rather  than  the  production  of  flowers.  Select 
all  the  wood  possible  from  plants  which  produce  the  most  good 
flowers.  Choose  well  ripened,  short  jointed  wood,  trying  to 
select  them  all  in  the  same  degree  of  hardness  that  they  may 
all  root  together  and  make  an  even  lot.  Then  they  may  be 
all  potted  up  quickly,  and  the  results,  of  course,  will  be  much 
better  than  when  a  batch  is  straggling  along  for  weeks,  as  in 
this  case  some  of  them  will  lose  their  leaves. 

The  cuttings  should  have  at  least  two  eyes,  and  should  not 
be  crowded  in  the  bench  so  that  the  leaves  interlap  or  they  will 
not  dry  after  the  frequent  waterings  or  sprayings.  Fungous  dis- 
eases are  likely  to  develop  in  this  case.  Avoid  overwatering. 
Shade  during  the  first  two  weeks,  and  then  gradually  expose 
to  the  full  sunlight. 


96  COMMERCIAL,   ROSE    CULTURE 

For  early  planting  in  May,  cuttings  should  be  rooted  in 
December.  January  stock  will  be  early  enough  for  June  plant- 
ing. It  is  not  profitable  to  plant  American  Beauty  Roses  from 
late  rooted  cuttings.  The  plants  may  be  set  out  in  solid  beds 
or  on  benches  in  the  same  depth  of  loam  as  is  used  for  Hybrid 
Teas,  and  they  may  be  planted  about  the  same  distance  apart. 
From  sixteen  to  eighteen  inches  apart  is  a  good  distance,  al- 
though some  growers  do  not  allow  them  quite  so  much  room, 
planting  two  inches  closer.  This  refers  to  the  distance  apart  in 
the  row.  The  number  of  rows  in  a  bench  is  the  same  as  for 
Killarney  and  similar  varieties.  It  is  not  wise  to  plant  any- 
thing but  the  best  stock  for  the  results  will  be  unsatisfactory  if 
you  do. 

After  planting  in  the  early  Summer,  when  evaporation  is 
so  rapid,  frequent  damping  down  and  spraying  will  be  re- 
quired. As  soon  as  the  plants  get  established  this  should  be 
reduced  as  much  as  possible  or  a  very  soft  growth  will  be 
induced  which  will  make  trouble  later  on,  and  will  make  the 
stock  an  easy  prey  to  diseases  of  all  kinds.  One  good  syringing 
daily,  after  the  first  three  weeks  or  so,  will  be  enough.  Early 
stock,  flowering  in  the  Summer  months,  may  have  a  fair  top- 
dressing  of  rich  manure  and  will  require  liberal  watering  at 
the  roots. 

To  avoid  any  check  to  the  plants  it  is  best  to  pinch  out  a 
part  of  the  buds  and  only  allow  the  best  to  mature  on  the 
young  stock.  After  cutting  away  wood  care  has  to  be  used  in 
watering  until  the  plants  are  again  in  active  growth.  Toward 
Fall  great  care  must  be  taken  in  the  use  of  water  both  on  the 
foliage  and  at  the  root,  or  black  spot  will  be  likely  to  gain  a 
foothold.  Aim  to  have  the  foliage  dry  by  evening.  Keep  the 
benches  and  walks  clean  and  free  from  rubbish,  and  the  walks 
free  from  standing  water,  but  not  dust  dry.  Do  not  allow  the 
beds  to  get  dust  dry  before  watering,  but  when  they  are  on  the 


THE   AMERICAN    BEAUTY   HOSE 


97 


ROSE  AMERICAN  BEAUTY 
Universally    popular    and    where    it    can    be    successfully    grown    is 

most  profitable 
Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


98  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

dry  side  give  a  moderate  amount  of  liquid  manure  during  the 
growing  season,  alternating  this  occasionally  with  clear  water 
as  the  plants  require.  Avoid  any  conditions  in  the  house  which 
will  cause  drip.  Keep  a  little  steam  and  air  on  every  night  and 
stormy  day,  and  spray  with  a  copper  solution  about  every  ten 
days  if  there  is  any  tendency  to  black  spot;  if  this  latter  shows 
up  it  must  be  faithfully  picked  off  and  burned. 

Old  plants  may  be  cut  back  and  replanted  after  being  dried 
off  a  little.  Replant  in  good  new  loam,  give  a  fair  watering, 
and  then  spray  the  tops  occasionally  to  cause  the  young  shoots 
to  break  well  and  come  strong.  Then,  as  the  plants  advance 
and  take  hold  of  the  soil,  more  water  at  the  root  may  be  given. 
Old  plants  may  be  dried  off  a  couple  of  weeks  and  then  pruned 
and  started  up  the  same  as  the  Hybrid  Teas.  Yellowing  of  the 
foliage  is  the  common  result  of  this  operation  caused  by  over- 
watering.  A  good  plan  is  to  w^ater  the  beds  after  scraping  off 
the  old  loam.  Then,  after  the  topdressing,  no  more  water  is 
given,  as  the  moisture  received  is  sufficient  to  keep  them  going 
until  they  are  well  started  into  growth.  Then  they  may  re- 
ceive a  careful  watering. 

American  Beauty  Roses,  grafted  on  Manetti,  are  the  best 
for  carrying  over  and  starting  up  in  this  way,  is  the  report  of 
Mr.  Alexander  Montgomery,  as  there  is  not  the  same  danger 
of  yellowing,  but  otherwise  there  is  no  advantage  in  grafting 
this  variety. 

The  Winter  treatment  is  much  the  same  as  for  other  Roses ; 
60  degrees  to  62  degrees  is  a  good  night  temperature.  So  long 
as  the  tops  look  red  you  can  be  reasonably  sure  that  you  will 
get  a  flower.  In  the  vicinity  of  Philadelphia  they  say  that,  if 
the  buds  are  formed  by  Thanksgiving,  they  will  be  in  time  for 
Christmas.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Boston  it  takes  about  ten 
days  longer.  About  six  weeks  is  required,  generally  speaking. 
No  two  places  or  seasons  will  be  exactly  alike.  Careful  watch 
must  be  kept  for  thrips.  If  this  gets  a  foothold,  it  will  very 


THE    AMERICAN 


99 


soon  do  a  lot  of  damage.  Tobacco  stems,  burned  often  enough, 
will  destroy  it  and  will  not  hurt  the  plants,  but  care  must  be 
used  in  fumigating  when  the  buds  show  color  or  the  flowers 
will  be  damaged.  Up  to  that  time  tobacco  smoke,  reasonably 
applied,  will  not  hurt  them. 


ROSE  DOUBLE  RTTGOSA 


CHAPTER  XV 
RAMBLER  ROSES 

THIS  class  of  Roses  has  come  into  great  prominence  during 
the  past  few  years,  and,  thanks  chiefly  to  American 
hybridizers,  we  now  have  a  large  and  varied  collection  of  good 
kinds,  suitable  for  outdoor  planting,  and  good  also  to  force 
for  Easter  and  Spring  sales.  In  addition,  we  have  the  dwarf, 
or  Baby  Ramblers,  which  are  excellent  for  bedding  outdoors. 
These  are  very  desirable  and  will  flower  all  Summer.  Among 
the  best  of  these  are  crimson,  pink,  and  white.  Baby  Dorothy 
is  a  good  pink.  One  of  the  newer  ones,  Jessie,  originated  by 
Merryweather  of  Southwell,  England,  is  described  as  one  of 
the  best,  commencing  to  bloom  in  June  and  continuing  until 
killed  by  frost.  These  grow  to  a  height  of  about  2^  feet, 
branch  freely,  have  bright,  glossy  green  foliage  and  flowers  of  a 
bright  cherry  crimson  color,  borne  in  large  clusters.  These 
dwarf  Ramblers  are  a  decided  acquisition,  and  add  charm  and 
variety  to  any  Rose  or  flower  garden. 

Among  the  Climbers,  or  Ramblers  proper,  some  of  the 
best  are,  first,  the  original  and  reliable  Crimson  Rambler; 
Philadelphia  Rambler,  similar  to  the  former,  with  brighter  and 
larger  flowers;  Dorothy  Perkins,  a  beautiful  shell  pink;  White 
Dorothy,  a  sport  from  the  pink;  Debutante,  light  pink;  Hia- 
watha, crimson;  Lady  Gay,  cherry  pink;  Yellow  Rambler; 
American  Pillar,  a  valuable  Climber  with  single  rosy  pink 
flowers,  and  a  kind  possessing  a  vigorous  constitution.  This 
Rose  has  been  used  successfully  on  embankments  and,  in  addi- 
tion to  other  good  qualities,  has  splendid  foliage  and  grows 
freely. 


RAMBLlTil   RtiSSS 


101 


102  :  ;  /  003IMEBCIAIV,  ROSE   CULTURE 


EAMBLER   HOSES  103 

Stock  of  these  Roses  may  be  bought  from  any  nurseryman 
or  may  be  raised  at  home. 

To  gain  time  when  propagating  Ramblers,  cuttings  of  half 
ripened  wood  may  be  inserted  in  the  late  Summer  in  a  hotbed, 
potted  up  as  soon  as  rooted  and  grown  on  in  the  greenhouse. 
These  will  have  quite  a  start  over  the  Spring  rooted  stock. 
The  Spring  stock  may  be  obtained  by  taking  cuttings  from 
plants  started  into  growth  inside  after  New  Year.  Some 
growers  of  forced  Ramblers  allow  one  or  two  strong  canes 
to  start  and,  by  pinching  these,  a  number  of  good  cuttings 
may  be  obtained.  These  are  rooted  in  the  sand  and  grown 
on  in  the  usual  manner.  They  may  be  planted  outdoors  in 
good  ground  and  should  be  carefully  cultivated  to  get  the 
best  results.  This  Spring  rooted  stock  will  not  make  very 
large  plants  the  first  year.  The  Fall  rooted  would  have  the 
advantage  here,  but  either  kind  could  be  used  as  small  stock 
for  forcing. 

By  leaving  the  plants  out  two  or  three  years,  large  plants 
may  be  obtained.  In  this  case  it  would  be  wise  the  first 
year  or  two  to  shorten  back  the  canes  to  produce  a  bushy 
growth;  the  last  year  the  long  growths  should  be  tied  up  to 
stakes,  or  to  a  fence,  to  allow  the  wood  to  thoroughly  ripen, 
which  is  essential  to  success  in  forcing  Ramblers.  Plants  dug 
up  from  the  field  in  the  Fall  have  been  potted  and  forced  with 
good  results,  cases  being  on  record  where  the  percentage 
of  failure  with  this  stock  was  very  small.  A  great  deal  de- 
pends, however,  on  where  the  stock  is  obtained  and  the 
condition  it  is  in  when  received.  It  is  generally  agreed  that 
pot  grown  stock  is  the  most  reliable  and  gives  the  best  results. 
In  this  case  stock  may  be  dug  from  the  field  and  potted  in  the 
Spring,  grown  on  inside  for  a  time  and  may  then  be  plunged 
outside  in  coal  ashes.  They  should  be  well  fed  and  watered 
all  through  the  growing  season  and  receive  all  the  sun  and  air 
possible.  Withhold  water  gradually  in  the  Fall  and,  if  heavy 


104 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


METHOD    or  TRAINING  RAMBLER  ROSES 
Courtesy  Thos.   Rochford   &  Sons,  Broxbourne,  England 


RAMBLER   ROSES 


105 


METHODS  OF  TRAINING  RAMBLER  ROSES 

Courtesy  Thos.   Rochford  &  Sons,  Broxbourne,  England 


106  COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 

rains  occur,  lay  the  pots  on  their  sides  to  prevent  the  plants 
becoming  too  wet  and  starting  into  growth.  When  wintry 
weather  occurs  the  plants  may  be  stored  in  a  frame  until  time 
to  force.  This  will  be  about  the  first  of  January,  depending 
somewhat  on  the  date  of  Easter,  which  is  the  time  when  large 
quantities  are  disposed  of. 

It  takes  about  ten  or  twelve  weeks  from  the  time  they  are 
brought  inside  until  they  are  ready  for  sale,  depending  on  how 
they  are  ripened,  established,  the  heat  applied,  etc.  As  soon 
as  the  plants  are  brought  inside  the  long  canes  should  be  tied 
into  the  shape  desired.  Wire  stakes  are  very  useful  for  this 
purpose  as  they  may  be  bent  into  any  shape  and,  when  covered 
with  foliage  and  flowers  are  not  noticeable. 

The  illustrations  given  in  this  chapter  show  the  methods 
of  training  employed  by  an  English  grower  which  vary  little 
from  our  own.  The  temperature  at  first  should  not  exceed 
45°  at  night.  Water  should  be  applied  moderately  at  first; 
after  the  balls  are  once  wet  to  the  bottom,  syringe  the  plants 
several  times  daily  to  help  start  the  buds.  The  object  is  to 
get  all  the  buds  started  and  all  to  flower,  or  the  fine  effect  of 
the  trained  specimen  is  lost.  After  two  or  three  weeks  the 
temperature  may  be  raised  to  50°.  Later,  when  the  buds  are 
formed,  to  55°,  and  finally  to  60°. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  a  little  extra  heat  may  be 
applied  to  hurry  them  along  if  late,  or  they  may  be  slightly 
retarded  if  too  early.  The  ones  grown  in  moderate  heat 
will  be  the  best  and  will  keep  the  longest.  No  forcing  should 
be  attempted  until  after  the  buds  are  formed. 

The  treatment  during  the  forcing  period  is  much  the  same 
as  that  required  by  other  Roses.  Air  carefully;  feed  and 
water  freely  during  the  growing  period ;  harden  off  gradually 
before  sending  to  market,  but  never  leave  in  a  dark,  draughty 
place.  It  will  take  one  month  from  the  time  the  flower  is 
formed  until  its  development. 


RAMBLER   ROSES 


107 


ROSE  CLIMBING  AMERICAN  BEAUTY 
No   garden   is   complete  without   this   splendid  variety 

Originators,  Hoopes,   Bro.   &  Thomas  Co.,   West  Chester,   Pa. 


10$ 


COMMERCIAL  ROSE  CULTURE 


.    ROSE  BABY  RAMBLER  IK  Pox 

A  gem  for  forcing  or  bedding.    Try  a  bed  instead  of  using 
tender  plants 


RAMBLER    ROSES  109 

The  Baby,  or  Dwarf  Ramblers,  may  be  forced  in  the 
same  way  as  the  others.  As  these  flower  all  Summer,  and 
may  be  sold  at  almost  any  time,  they  do  not  require  such  careful 
riming  as  the  Climbers  to  get  into  flower.  Houses  that  are  not 
quite  the  best,  work  in  well  for  these  Roses  the  first  six  weeks, 
when  they  may  be  moved  into  the  flowering  house.  Most 
plant  growers  have  a  number  of  small  houses  which  allow  of 
constant  changing  around  of  stock  as  some  have  to  be  hurried 
and  others  held  back. 

The  best  demand  for  large  forced  Ramblers  is  at  Easter. 
For  the  smaller  and  cheaper  plants  there  is  an  excellent  sale 
all  through  the  Spring  months  and  especially  for  Memorial 
Day. 

All  plants  left  over  from  Spring  sales  may  be  grown 
on  through  the  Summer  and  will  make  good  plants  for  the 
following  year.  Unless  they  were  potted  in  early  Spring  they 
will  probably  need  repotting  in  good  rich  loam.  This  may 
be  done  right  after  flowering  and  the  plants  grown  on  in  the 
usual  manner.  Or  these  same  plants  may  be  used  for  outdoor 
planting  with  the  advantage  of  being  safely  transferred  and 
planted  at  any  time  during  the  Summer.  Besides  the  varieties 
mentioned  at  the  commencement  of  this  chapter,  there  are  a 
number  of  others  that  are  good,  and  new  kinds  are  constantly 
appearing,  making  this  class  a  most  interesting  and  useful  one. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
ROSES  OUTDOORS 

IN  choosing  a  location  for  Roses  outside  an  exposure  from 
southeast  to  southwest  makes  an  ideal  garden.  The  early 
morning  sun  is  of  greatest  value  as  most  of  their  growth  out- 
doors is  made  before  8  a.m.  every  day.  Shelter  from  the  north 
and  east  or  west,  whichever  way  strong  winds  may  blow  from, 
according  to  location,  is  necessary  for  the  best  results;  the  main 
point  is  that  the  plants  should  be  exposed  to  the  full  sunlight. 

The  ground  should  be  rich  and  well  drained.  If  the  soil 
is  of  a  cold  and  clayey  nature,  plenty  of  good  horse  manure, 
well  worked  in,  wTill  be  of  advantage.  For  ordinary  soil  noth- 
ing is  better  than  cow  manure.  The  land  should  be  well 
cultivated  and  in  good  condition  to  receive  any  crop  before 
planting  Roses.  These  plants  are  gross  feeders  and,  after  they 
become  established,  will  be  benefited  by  applications  ot  manure 
water  in  the  growing  and  flowering  season,  and  by  topdress- 
ings  of  manure.  Hoeing  and  cultivating  will  have  to  be  at- 
tended to,  and  all  weeds  and  insect  pests  kept  down.  These 
conditions  observed,  an  abundance  of  good  blooms  will  be  the 
result.  It  is  remarkable  how  Roses  will  exist  and  blossom  even 
where  neglected,  but  when  proper  care  is  given  there  is  no 
flower  that  responds  more  readily  to  the  attention  given  it. 

There  is  no  secret  in  the  growing  of  good  Roses.  The 
proper  location,  rich,  well  drained  and  well  cultivated  soil,  and 
safeguarding  against  fungus  and  insect  pests,  will  all  contribute 
to  the  health  and  vigor  of  the  plants. 

Roses  may  be  planted  in  rows  three  feet  apart  and  eighteen 
inches  apart  in  the  row.  If  cramped  for  room  they  may  be 


ROSES   OUTDOORS 


111 


112  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

set  closer,  but  should  never  be  planted  so  close  together  as  to 
interfere  with  cultivating  or  with  their  proper  development. 
As  early  in  the  Spring  as  the  ground  can  be  worked  is  the 
best  time  to  plant,  although  the  plants  may  be  set  out  up  to 
the  first  of  June  with  fair  success.  I  once  saw  a  lot  of  imported 
stock  delayed  in  shipment,  planted  out  the  last  week  in  May 
which,  thanks  to  a  cold  June,  did  remarkably  well. 

For  late  planting  plants  from  pots  or  benches  can  be  relied 
upon  for  good  results,  or  plants  may  be  set  out  in  the  Fall. 

Roses  on  their  own  roots  may  be  planted  just  below  the 
surface  of  the  ground,  but  grafted  stock  should  be  set  out  two 
or  three  inches  below  the  graft.  Hybrid  Teas  from  under  glass 
may  be  planted  out  at  any  time  in  the  Summer.  These  delight 
in  a  warm,  dry  soil,  unlike  the  heavier  and  moister  soil  required 
for  Hybrid  Perpetuals.  If  the  stock  taken  from  the  benches  is 
cut  down  halfway,  or  even  lower,  it  will  break  strongly  and 
give  good  flowers  during  the  Summer.  Never  allow  any  stock 
to  lie  around  so  that  the  roots  become  dry  before  being  planted ; 
if  at  all  dry,  soak  the  roots  and  prune  off  any  broken  ones  before 
planting.  Tread  down  firmly,  after  planting,  and  cultivate  to 
keep  the  ground  from  caking  on  the  top.  The  spring  work 
will  consist  of,  first 

PRUNING 

This  is  generally  done  in  the  Spring  in  latitudes  where  the 
plants  are  dormant  all  Winter.  The  weak  growing  varieties 
should  be  pruned  to  three  or  four  eyes  from  the  ground,  but 
the  strong  growing  kinds  may  be  left  twice  that  length.  The 
harder  they  are  cut  back  the  more  vigorous  will  be  the  new 
wood  and  the  larger  the  flowers  on  the  Hybrid  Perpetuals. 

Varieties  like  the  Banksia,  Crimson  Rambler,  and  others 
which  flower  from  the  shoots  produced  the  previous  year,  re- 
quire little  pruning.  They  may  require  to  be  shortened  back 
a  little,  but,  if  cut  down,  they  will  produce  an  abundance  of 


ROSES    OUTDOORS  113 

strong  new  wood  but  no  flowers.  Any  pruning  necessary  on 
these  is  best  done  right  after  flowering. 

The  Hybrid  Teas  may  be  pruned  about  the  same  as  the 
hardy  garden  kinds  outdoors,  but  not  cut  back  so  hard. 

If  any  strong  shoots  come  up  from  below  the  graft  they 
must  be  rooted  out  or  they  will  in  time  destroy  the  upper  part 
of  the  plant.  This  is  the  wild  stock  and  grows  strong,  is  rather 
red  when  young,  has  more  thorns  than  the  other  kinds  as  a 
rule,  and  has  seven  leaf  stalks,  while  the  cultivated  kinds  have 
mostly  five,  although  under  glass,  growing  very  luxuriantly,  we 
have  seen  them  with  seven  and  also  with  nine  leaf  stalks.  In 
any  case  they  will  look  foreign  to  the  rest  of  the  plant.  If 
they  come  from  below  the  graft  there  is  no  doubt  of  what  they 
are. 

Such  varieties  as  Bridesmaid,  Richmond,  Madame  Abel 
Chatenay,  Killarney,  and  others,  have  been  safely  Wintered 
outdoors  in  the  New  England  States.  Wm.  R.  Smith,  My 
Maryland,  Wellesley  and  Mme.  Caroline  Testout  do  splendidly 
out  of  doors.  Killarney  mildews  badly  outdoors  in  some 
places. 

When  pruning  outdoor  Roses  keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  any 
disease;  and  if  any  is  found  at  once  apply  the  remedy.  Pick 
up  or  rake  off  all  clippings  and  take  off  any  Winter  covering 
and  commence  the  stirring  of  the  soil  as  soon  as  needed. 

SPRAYING  ROSES  OUTDOORS 

Spray  for  insect  pests  and  fungous  diseases,  if  any  have  been 
noted.  Whale  oil  soap,  or  Ivory  soap,  one  pound  to  eight  gal- 
lons of  water,  makes  a  good  spray  for  green  fly,  or  it  may  be 
dislodged  with  the  hose  if  the  water  pressure  is  great  enough. 
For  the  leaf  roller,  dust  hellebore  on  when  the  foliage  is 
damp,  and,  if  washed  off  by  rain,  repeat  the  application;  or 
spray  with  Paris  green,  using  a  weak  solution  when  the  foliage 
is  young  and  tender.  For  thrips  dust  hellebore  on  the  under 


114  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

side  of  the  leaves,  when  wet;  these  pests  attack  the  plants  in  a 
hot  dry  time  and  a  thorough  drenching  of  the  plants  and  soil 
will  help  drive  them  away.  Hand  picking  will  have  to  be 
resorted  to  for  Rose  bugs  and  grubs  of  all  descriptions.  For 
mildew  dust  with  sulphur,  and  spray  in  the  Spring  and  Fall 
with  the  sulphide  of  lime  described  in  Chapter  XII. 

Always  make  a  test  of  all  spraying  materials  on  a  few 
bushes  if  the  exact  strength  is  not  known.  For  rust,  the 
spraying  may  be  done  with  a  copper  solution. 

To  obtain  good  flowers,  disbudding  must  be  practiced  as 
soon  as  the  buds  are  large  enough  to  be  taken  off.  If  the 
weather  is  hot  and  dry  at  this  time,  the  crop  will  be  much 
improved  by  mulching  and  copious  watering  with  both  clear 
and  manure  water.  If  no  mulch  is  applied,  stir  the  ground  fre- 
quently so  as  not  to  allow  it  to  cake.  If  any  suckers  appear 
on  the  grafted  or  budded  plants  they  should  be  rooted  out. 

OTHER  POINTERS 

In  the  Fall,  all  dead  leaves  and  rubbish  should  be  cleaned 
up  and  burned.  In  this  way  a  lot  of  trouble  will  be  saved  the 
following  Spring.  Climbing  Roses,  or  tall  growing  varieties, 
should  be  securely  fastened  so  that  they  will  not  get  broken 
during  the  Winter  storms. 

During  the  first  half  of  November  the  soil  may  be  hilled 
or  drawn  up  to  the  plants  to  the  height  of  eight  or  nine  inches 
and  the  space  between  the  rows  filled  in  with  manure.  This 
will  protect  enough  of  the  lower  part  of  the  plant  so  that  if 
the  tops  Winter  kill,  there  will  be  enough  remaining  to  produce 
strong  breaks. 

Tender  varieties  should  have  pine  needles  or  coarse  hay 
placed  among  the  bushes  which  may,  in  turn,  be  covered  by 
some  evergreen  branches  to  keep  away  strong  winds  or  sun. 
The  strong  sun  in  early  Spring,  combined  with  zero  nights,  is 
harmful  to  Roses. 


ROSES   OUTDOORS 


115 


TEA  ROSE  WHITE  MAMAN  COCHET 
A  splendid  garden  Rose.     Free  habit  and  good  blooming  qualities 


116  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

If  field  mice  are  abundant,  they  sometimes  work  havoc 
with  the  bark  underneath  the  covering.  For  this  reason  earth 
alone  is  the  best  and  often  is  all  the  covering  required.  Pine 
needles  make  the  next  best  covering  for  the  same  reason. 

After  removing  the  covering  in  the  Spring,  the  earth  may 
be  levelled  down  in  the  rows,  leaving  it  a  little  higher  than 
it  was  the  previous  season. 

A  bed  of  Roses  will  produce  good  flowers  for  a  lifetime  if 
it  is  closely  pruned  every  year,  and  if  the  plants  are  dug  up 
and  root  pruned  every  seven  or  eight  years. 

CLIMBING  ROSES 

These  varieties  have  within  the  past  ten  years,  made  great 
strides  in  popularity.  Since  the  advent  of  the  Crimson  Rambler 
and  its  successors,  these  have  come  into  the  front  rank  and 
they  are  worthy  of  the  position  that  they  hold.  These  may 
be  used  in  a  variety  of  places  and  do  well  even  on  north  walls, 
but  they  are  prone  to  mildew  if  planted  in  draughty  or  shady 
places  as  we  often  see  them  on  the  sides  of  houses. 

These  flower  about  the  first  week  in  July,  thereby  prolong- 
ing the  season  several  weeks,  and  very  fine  effects  may  be  pro- 
duced with  them.  Their  culture  is  the  same  as  for  ordinary 
garden  Roses,  except  that  they  require  little  pruning.  There 
are  a  number  of  these  Roses  worthy  of  a  place  in  every  garden 
and,  by  consulting  the  growers'  catalogues,  a  variety  of  colors 
will  be  found. 

IN  THE  HYBRID  TEAS 

Wellesley  is  said  to  excel  outdoors.  There  are  almost  a 
score  of  good  ones.  In  addition  to  the  ones  previously  men- 
tioned in  this  chapter  we  have  La  France,  Caroline  Testout, 
Madame  Cochet,  white  and  pink,  Kaiserin  Augusta  Victoria, 
President  Carnot  and  others. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

COST  OF  EQUIPMENT  AND  RETURNS 

COST  OF  BUILDING  AND  EQUIPMENT 

THE  cost  of  commencing  as  a  wholesale  or  retail  Rose 
grower  depends  somewhat  on  circumstances  and  style 
of  houses.  Good,  serviceable  houses  of  the  proper  type  will 
probably  cost,  when  planted  and  completely  installed,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  $7,500.00  for  every  10,000  square  feet  of 
ground  enclosed. 

Allowing  about  one-third  of  this  enclosure  for  walks,  we 
have  ground  left  which  would  hold  probably  6,000  plants,  de- 
pending somewhat  on  how  the  house  was  laid  out  and  how 
close  together  the  plants  were  set.  If  these  plants  produce  an 
income  of  one  dollar  each  per  year,  they  are  doing  well.  A 
great  many  growers  get  less,  but  this  amount  and  more  has 
been  obtained. 

A  Rose  plant,  doing  well,  will  produce  about  fifty  flowers 
per  year.  Some  growers  get  an  average  of  three  cents  per 
flower  the  year  round.  I  have  on  record  the  cut  of  one  establish- 
ment where  My  Maryland  produced,  from  young  stock  planted 
in  May,  1909,  an  average  cut  of  sixty-five  flowers  per  plant 
for  the  twelve  months  ending  July  first,  1910.  The  cut  in 
December  and  January,  combined,  amounted  to  nearly  four 
thousand  flowers.  The  Killarneys  will  average  as  well  for 
the  year  and  may  be  more  easily  manipulated  by  the  small 
grower  so  that  they  will  produce  a  larger  percentage  in  the 
Winter  time.  It  seems  unnecessary  to  mention  varieties.  There 
are  at  least  a  dozen  that  do  better  with  some  growers  than  they 
do  with  others. 


118  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

The  cost  of  operating  also  depends  largely  on  the  owner  or 
manager.  Labor  and  coal  are  the  principal  items.  After  you; 
have  figured  these,  you  must  add  a  reasonable  amount  for 
incidentals  and  other  expenses,  all  of  which  multiply  at  an 
alarming  rate.  Taxes,  interest,  depreciation  of  stock,  etc.,  all 
have  to  be  considered  before  you  can  count  the  profit.  But, 
after  all,  Rose  growing  is  a  profitable  business  if  it  is  properly 
carried  on.  If  you  cannot  do  it  right  it  is  the  wisest  plan  to 
let  it  alone. 

In  addition  to  the  revenue  derived  from  the  ordinary  sales 
of  cut  flowers  and  plants  (and  the  old  plants  from  the  benches 
may  sometimes  be  turned  into  a  little  cash  at  replanting  time), 
there  is  the  possibility  of  a  plant  sporting  on  your  place  which, 
if  it  is  an  improvement  over  existing  varieties,  may  prove  of 
value.  In  this  case,  watch  it  carefully  for  a  couple  of  years  to 
make  sure  it  is  a  good  thing.  Propagate  a  good  stock  from  the 
best  wood  and  sell  it  as  soon  as  you  can  get  a  good  offer  from 
a  reliable  firm  unless  you  have  the  facilities  for  growing  and 
shipping  young  plants  yourself.  You  will  probably  be  better 
off  in  the  end  if  you  pursue  the  former  method,  for  the  cost  of 
sending  out  a  new  variety  is  considerable.  In  any  event,  avoid 
keeping  a  sport  too  long  as  there  is  always  the  possibility  of 
another  grower  having  one  as  good  as  yours  and  getting  it  on 
the  market  ahead  of  you. 

POISONING  WITH  FERTILIZERS  AND  INSECTICIDES 

There  has  often  been  a  cry  raised  that  growers  are  using 
dangerous  chemicals  on  their  bushes  as  fertilizers  or  insecticides. 
People  handling  flowers  in  the  markets  and  in  stores  have  had 
badly  swollen  hands  and  arms  at  times  and  the  growers  have 
been  blamed  for  it.  I  never  believed  that  this  was  right  and 
have  asked  several  doctors  who  quite  agree  with  me.  Presum- 
ably healthy  people  have  died  before  through  the  prick  of  a 


COST    OF   EQUIPMENT   AND    RETURNS 


119 


pin,  the  scratch   from  a  nail,   and  from  other  apparently  in- 
significant causes. 

The  trouble  with  Roses  is  that  the  thorns  prick  and  break 
the  skin.  If,  at  this  time,  there  is  any  dirt  or  impurity  on  a 
person's  hand,  as  is  often  the  case  when  engaged  in  his  work, 
these  impurities  enter  the  blood,  and  serious  results  may  shortly 
follow,  especially  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  when  particular 
subjects  may  be  more  readily  inoculated.  I  do  not  know  of  a 
single  case  where  the  trouble  can  be  traced  to  anything  the 
grower  used  no  matter  what  has  been  said  to  the  contrary. 
Growers  are  very  careful  in  this  matter  and  poisonous  com- 
pounds are  used  but  little  under  glass  in  general  practice. 


COMMERCIAL  ROSE  PACKING 

Box  of  Chatenay  and     Killarney  Roses  packed  by  Robert  Simpson, 

Clifton,   N.   J.,   and  consigned   to   Traendly   &   Schenck, 

131-133  West  28th  St.,  N.  Y.  City. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

NOTES    ON    CUTTING,    MARKETING,    EXHIBIT- 
ING, ETC. 

CUTTING 

T  N  the  hot  Summer  months  Roses  should  be  cut  early  in  the 
-*•  morning  and  placed  at  once  in  fresh,  cool  water,  in  a  cool, 
dark  room.  After  remaining  there  for  a  reasonable  length  of 
time  they  may  be  assorted  into  the  different  grades  required 
and  are  ready  for  shipment  to  market.  The  sooner  they  are 
sold  after  being  properly  cooled  off,  the  better  will  be  the  results. 
Twenty-four  hours  is  as  long  as  they  should  be  kept,  although 
they  may  be  and  often  are  kept  much  longer,  for  various 
reasons. 

In  the  Winter  time  it  is  best  to  allow  the  flowers  to  re- 
main longer  on  the  plants  before  being  cut  as  they  develop  very 
slowly,  especially  in  cold,  dark  weather.  They  make  a  much 
better  appearance  when  being  sold  if  they  are  not  cut  too  soon 
in  Winter,  but  as  the  hot  Spring  and  Summer  sun  advances  it 
is  necessary  to  cut  early  in  the  morning  and  again  carefully  in 
the  late  afternoon. 

GRADING 

When  grading,  care  must  be  taken  to  assort  carefully  and 
to  put  nothing  but  the  best  in  the  higher  grades.  Fine  foliage, 
long  stems,  and  other  good  points  count  for  nothing  if  the  flower 
is  deformed  or  off  color.  Every  part  must  be  perfect.  Keep 
everything  true  to  grade  and  see  that  the  count  is  always  cor- 
rect, and  you  will  build  up  a  reputation  for  right  dealing 
which  will  be  worth  much  in  getting  and  holding  the  best 


NOTES    ON    CUTTING  121 

trade.  There  is  always  a  market  for  the  right  goods.  It  is 
true  that  at  times  prices  are  low,  but  it  is  also  true  that  a  good 
salesman  can  nearly  always  find  an  outlet  for  good  stock. 
Prices  for  the  shorter  grades  are  as  good  sometimes  in  August 
as  they  are  at  Christmas,  because  of  the  fact  that  everybody  is 
growing  immense  quantities  of  all  kinds  of  flowers  for  the 
Christmas  trade  and  the  market  is  glutted  if  anything  happens 
to  unbalance  things,  such  as  bad  weather,  hard  times,  etc., 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  always  a  shortage  in  August, 
which  is  between  seasons  in  a  measure.  The  June  glut  is  past. 
Some  growers,  disgusted  with  their  returns,  have  ceased  ship- 
ping and  are  drying  off  their  stock,  while  the  man  with  a  few 
good  Roses  can  make  a  few  dollars  very  easily. 

MARKETING 

The  flowers  should  be  laid  out  carefully  and  evenly,  on 
stout  wax  paper,  which  may  be  bought  ready  cut  into  con- 
venient sizes  (15  in.  by  20  in.  is  a  good  size  for  ordinary 
grades).  For  longer  stems,  a  double  sheet  of  newspaper  may 
be  laid  underneath  the  wax  paper.  A  little  chopped  ice  should 
be  sprinkled  on  the  foliage  of  every  bunch  if  the  weather  is 
warm  or  they  have  to  travel  far.  The  finer  the  ice  is  chopped 
up  the  better  will  be  the  results  obtained.  Keep  the  flowers  dry 
and  cover  with  tissue  paper.  Lay  on  the  papers  and  place  in  the 
boxes  in  such  a  manner  that  the  heads  cannot  get  broken,  and 
always  lay  the  white  flowers  on  the  top  (or  as  much  as  possible) 
as  they  are  the  most  likely  to  get  bruised  and  discolored.  Line 
the  boxes  carefully  with  clean  paper  and  use  boxes  of  a  uniform 
size  and  not  over  eight  inches  deep. 

By  visiting  the  markets  and  making  a  few  notes  of  the  way 
Roses  are  shipped  in  you  will  soon  see  how  the  packing  should 
be  done,  and  you  will  find  that  the  growers  who  ship  in  the 
best  manner  invariably  get  the  most  satisfactory  results.  It  pays 
in  the  Spring  months  to  double  the  number  of  shipments  to 


1911 
RECORD  OF  DAILY  CUT 

(Tack  this  on  a  board  and  hang  up  in  the  Greenhouse) 


Month 


House  No. 


East  or  West 

Richmond 

Maryland 

Kaiserin 

Killarney 

Am. 

Beauty 

Other  Vars. 

TOTAL 

1 

75 

2 

56 

3 

110    . 

4 

84 

5 

97 

6 

69 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

» 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

120 

31 

75 

Total 

668 

These  Record  Sheets  in  blank  form,  printed  on  medium  cardboard,  to  size  11x14  inches, 
may  be  obtained  from  the  publishers  of  this  book.    Price,  75  cents  per  dozen. 


SALES  SHEET  FOR  OFFICE 


Month. 


.Year. 


The  first  column  under  each  grade  indicates  the  quantity  sold.     The  second 
column,  which  may  6e  in  red  ink,  shows  the  price  obtained  each  day. 


K.  I  L  L  AR.  N  E  Y 

SPECIAL 

No.  1 

No.  2 

No.  3 

1 

25 

$3.00 

25 

$2.50 

50 

$3.00 

100 

$4.00 

2 

50 

5.00 

75 

4.50 

75 

3.00 

3 

25 

3.00 

50 

5.00 

50 

4.00 

150 

6.00 

4 

25 

3.00 

50 

5.00 

50 

4.00 

100 

4.00 

5 

25 

4.00 

25 

2.50 

50 

4.00 

125 

5.00 

6 

50 

5.00 

75 

4.50 

150 

6.00 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

25 

5.00 

50 

6.0 

75 

5.00 

100 

5.00 

Total 

125 

$18.00 

300 

$31.00 

425 

$29.00 

800 

$33.00 

These  Sales  Sheets,  in  blank  form,  may  be  obtained  from  the  publishers  of  this  book.      They 

are  printed  in  pads  of  100,  on  good  writing  paper ;  size  of  sheet,  11  inches  long,  6& 

inches  wide.    Each  sheet  covers  one  month's  record  for  one  variety. 

Price,  per  pad,  60  cents,  postpaid. 


124  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

insure  fresh  goods.  It  is  also  found  advantageous,  when  grad- 
ing certain  kinds,  to  have  the  feet  and  inches  marked  off  on 
the  table  so  that  you  can  tell  at  a  glance  how  long  the  stems  are ; 
customers  often  want  to  know  this  point  when  ordering.  To 
get  the  best  prices  the  market  must  be  closely  watched  and  fol- 
lowed up  every  day.  The  men  with  the  steady  supply  are  the 
ones  who  will  be  looked  to  for  the  goods,  and  these  men  can  sell 
Roses  at  all  times. 

PREPARATION  FOR  EXHIBITION 

Roses  intended  for  the  exhibition  table  are  often  taken  from 
the  ordinary  cut  intended  for  market,  but,  if  especially  large 
and  fine  flowers  are  desired,  a  little  extra  care  should  be  given. 
Extra  good  shoots  should  be  picked  out  and  marked  by  tying 
a  piece  of  string  or  raffia  on  them.  They  should  then  receive 
special  attention  as  regards  food  and  water,  and  should  be  cut 
so  that  they  will  be  in  the  best  condition  possible  when  they  are 
exhibited.  If  they  are  rather  late  in  flowering  they  may  be 
hurried  along  with  extra  heat,  but  they  are  never  so  good  in 
this  case  as  they  are  likely  to  be  soft  and  so  wilt.  It  is  prefer- 
able to  have  them  a  few  days  early.  They  may  be  cut  one 
week  ahead  when  in  the  bud  and  placed  away  in  a  cold  room 
in  clean  water.  If  you  have  no  ice  chest  it  is  advisable  to  set 
the  jars  in  a  bank  of  snow  or  on  ice  in  your  flower  room  if  it 
is  at  all  warm.  This  will  retard  them.  They  will  require 
careful  watching  every  day  as  they  must  be  developed  enough 
to  make  a  good  show  and  at  the  same  time  not  be  past  their 
best.  A  few  undeveloped  or  old  flowers  will  spoil  the  entire 
bunch. 

When  staged  the  general  effect  should  be  good.  This  is 
most  important  of  all,  and  if,  on  close  inspection,  it  is  found 
that  the  quality  is  there  and  the  details  are  correct,  the  exhibit 
will  be  very  likely  to  favorably  impress  both  judges  and  public. 


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CHAPTER  XIX 

GENERAL  REMARKS 
EXAMINE  NEW  STOCK  CAREFULLY 

WHEN  buying  new  stock  it  should  always  be  examined  on 
arrival  and  quarantined  if  any  sign  of  disease  is  found 
on  it.     Complaint  should  be  made  at  once,  if  any  is  in  order ; 
it  is  useless  to  wait  several  weeks  or  months  before  doing  this. 

HYBRIDS  FOR  FORCING  IN  POTS  OR  BOXES 

Roses  to  be  flowered  in  pots  will  give  better  results  if  they 
are  carefully  grown  in  them  the  previous  Summer  so  as  to  be- 
come established;  they  should  then  be  dried  off.  The  earlier 
they  are  rested  the  sooner  they  can  be  forced.  The  main  point 
to  be  obtained  is  strong  wood  well  ripened  the  previous  Sum- 
mer. 

Prune  as  advised  in  a  previous  chapter. 

Tie  the  Rambler  type  into  the  shape  required  as  soon  as 
possible  after  they  are  brought  in  for  forcing. 

It  will  take  twelve  or  fourteen  weeks  in  Midwinter  to  bring 
these  varieties  into  flower  from  the  time  they  are  brought  into 
heat.  Start  cool  at  first,  spray  to  induce  a  good  break,  and  feed 
liberally  as  they  advance. 

When  Easter  comes  rather  late,  Crimson  Ramblers  may  be 
forced  in  ten  weeks. 

Allow  a  temperature  of  about  45  degrees  at  night  at  first, 
raising  this  to  58  degrees  later,  after  the  buds  have  started  and 
the  flower  buds  show.  A  little  extra  warmth  may  be  allowed 
at  night  after  this,  if  necessary,  as  it  is  not  so  injurious  in  the 
Spring  months,  but  undue  forcing  is  not  recommended  at  any 


GENERAL   REMARKS  127 

time  for  Roses;  60  degrees  at  night,  and  75  degrees  at  noon  on 
sunny  days  in  Winter,  is  as  warm  as  Roses  should  be  kept,  ex- 
cepting special  kinds.  During  spells  of  cold,  dark  weather,  the 
temperature  may  be  reduced  from  four  to  eight  degrees  in  the 
daytime  and  from  two  to  four  degrees  at  night. 

Hybrid  Teas  may  be  lifted  from  benches  and  stored  over 
Winter  in  a  frame  out  of  the  reach  of  standing  water.  Set 
close  together,  sift  fine  loam  over  the  roots,  and  protect  from 
frost.  Give  air  at  intervals  and  look  out  for  mice  among  the 
coverings.  This  stock  may  be  replanted  inside  or  planted  out- 
doors early  in  the  Spring  where  it  will  give  good  results. 

Roses  in  pots  may  be  wintered  in  the  same  way.  Bring  in 
as  required  for  forcing.  Give  thorough  soakings  of  water  to 
wet  the  ball  through  to  the  bottom  when  pot  Roses  are  brought 
inside  for  forcing. 

EEL  WORMS  Do  NOT  HURT  MANETTI  STOCK 

Root  galls  or  eel  worms  were  responsible  in  a  great  measure 
for  the  introduction  of  the  now  common  method  of  growing 
Roses  on  Manetti.  They  do  not  seem  to  hurt  this  stock,  when 
present,  as  it  grows  so  rapidly.  They  are  seldom  seen  on 
Manetti  roots.  Soil  sterilization  is  the  best  remedy  for  eel 
worms ;  some  use  lime  water,  others  use  loam  from  wet  land  for 
planting.  Never  hurts  Roses  on  Manetti  or  plants  in  solid 
beds.  Occurs  generally  on  benches. 

American  grown  Manetti  stock  has  been  tried  for  grafting 
purposes  but,  up  to  date,  does  not  compete  successfully  with  the 
imported  product.  The  wood  is  too  dry  and  wiry  when  grown 
in  this  climate. 

AMERICAN  HYBRIDIZERS  HAVE  DONE  GREAT  WORK 

As  before  stated,  the  raising  of  seedling  Roses  is  expensive 
and  cannot  be  undertaken  by  the  average  grower.  We  have 
worthy  men  who  are  doing  good  work  for  which  they  deserve 


128  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

much  credit.  The  American  grower  looks  to  such  men  as  E.  G. 
Hill,  Alexander  Montgomery,  John  Cook  of  Baltimore,  raiser 
of  My  Maryland,  and  others  for  a  race  of  plants  which  will  fill 
all  the  requirements  of  our  exacting  methods  of  cultivation 
and  marketing. 

THE  ART  OF  WATERING 

One  of  the  arts  of  growing  good  Roses  lies  in  knowing 
when  and  in  what  quantities  to  apply  water.  In  Winter  time, 
from  about  November  1  to  February  1,  it  is  best  to  water 
rather  light  and  carefully,  allowing  the  beds  to  become  a  little 
on  the  dry  side  before  giving  more  water.  Water  most  freely 
when  a  new  growth  is  being  made,  then  reduce  the  quantity 
when  the  crop  is  almost  off.  At  certain  times  in  Spring  and 
Summer  it  is  almost  impossible  to  give  too  much  water.  Soak 
the  beds  thoroughly  when  starting  up  new  after  drying  off  in 
the  Summer  time.  By  drying  off  I  mean  reducing  the  water 
supply,  not  the  old-fashioned  way  of  drying  the  beds  so  that 
they  crack  open.  It  will  do  no  harm  to  repeat :  do  not  dry  too 
much.  One  month  is  long  enough  to  dry  off  in  the  Summer 
time. 

If  the  loam  is  sour,  heavy  waterings  will  sometimes  help  to 
sweeten  it.  If  the  loam  becomes  filled  with  an  accumulation  of 
poisonous  salts  from  excessive  feeding  with  fertilizers,  it  has 
been  recommended  to  water  very  heavily,  allowing  the  water  to 
run  copiously  through  the  bottom  of  the  bench.  This  may  be 
kept  up  for  several  hours. 

Never  attempt  to  grow  Roses  on  a  bench  without  proper 
drainage.  If  the  water  will  not  pass  through  easily,  rebuild  the 
bottom. 

Never  water  heavily  at  the  commencement  of  a  spell  of 
dark,  cold  weather  in  Winter.  Generally  speaking,  any  water 
fit  for  drinking  or  washing  purposes  is  good  for  growing  Roses ; 
the  nearer  it  approaches  to  rain  water  the  better  it  is. 


GENERAL    REMARKS 


129 


PINK  KILLARNEY  ROSE 

No   two   flowers   look   alike   when   they   are    Killarney 
Courtesy  A.  N.  Pierson,  Inc.,  Cromwell,  Conn. 


130  COMMERCIAL    ROSE    CULTURE 

Water  for  agricultural  purposes  is  valuable  according  to  its 
solvent  properties.  That  is,  the  more  able  it  is  to  convert  the 
latent  fertility  of  the  soil,  or  manure  applied,  into  available  food 
for  the  plant,  the  more  we  esteem  it.  The  air  being  full  of 
carbonic  acid,  which  impregnates  the  rain  water  as  it  falls, 
causes  the  softness.  This  is  more  marked  in  severe  weather  as 
the  carbonic  acid  is  more  soluble  in  cold  rain  and  snow.  When 
passing  through  the  soil,  the  water  performs  its  work;  and  then 
some  portion  of  it  finds  its  way  down  through  iron,  chalk,  lime- 
stone, or  whatever  is  underground,  and  the  water  becomes  con- 
taminated, and  often  contains  inorganic  salts  in  solution. 

Salts  of  lime  often  exists  in  large  quantities  where  chalk  and 
limestone  are  found.  This  water,  which  is  the  kind  often 
obtained  from  wells  and  which  curdles  soap  when  washing,  is 
not  so  good  for  plants,  and  is  bad  for  the  boilers  and  the  heat- 
ing plant,  as  it  encrusts  them,  owing  to  the  precipitation  of  the 
carbonate  of  lime  in  the  boiling  process. 

ADVANTAGE  OF  FALL  COLLECTION  OF  LOAM 
Many  good  growers  collect  their  loam  in  the  Fall  and 
stack  it  together  for  the  following  reasons:  much  time  is 
saved  in  the  Spring  and  it  is  sometimes  impossible  to  get  on  to 
certain  fields  until  the  ground  dries  late  in  the  season.  Other 
growers  claim  that  they  never  have  any  grubs  in  the  very  dry 
loam  collected  in  the  Fall. 

Where  grafted  Roses  become  partly  separated  from  the 
stock  they  will  look  half  dead  for  a  time,  but  often  make  roots 
of  their  own,  if  left  alone,  when  they  will  pick  up  again  and 
grow  well.  A  little  loam  or  old  manure  banked  up  around  the 
bottom  will  induce  them  to  make  roots  where  they  are  being 
separated  from  the  stock. 

TRY  A  FEW  PLANTS  IN  SHALLOW  LOAM  ON  BENCHES 
The   time-honored   custom   is   to   repot   young   Roses   into 
larger  pots  as  required,  but  several  large  growers  have  adopted 


GENERAL   REMARKS 


131 


ROSE   GRUSS  AN  TEPLITZ 
Bears   large    clusters    of   brilliant    Roses.     A    fine    variety   outdoors 


132  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

the  custom  of  taking  them  out  of  the  small  pots  and  planting 
them  five  or  six  inches  apart  on  shallow  benches,  where  they  re- 
main until  they  are  placed  in  their  permanent  quarters.  They 
make  fine  plants  in  this  way  and  will  lift  without  being 
damaged  if  kept  a  little  on  the  dry  side.  One  grower  claims  to 
have  planted  six  weeks  later  this  year  than  he  did  last  and  to 
have  cut  flowers  six  weeks  earlier,  and  that  only  nine  weeks 
elapsed  between  the  time  of  planting  and  cutting  the  first  crop. 

ROSES  THAT  PAY,  AND  WHY 

The  My  Maryland  Rose  has  been  credited  with  earning 
$1.50  per  plant  per  year  by  one  large  grower.  Another  variety 
has  earned  $2.00  per  plant  in  a  year.  But  these  are  ex- 
ceptional cases.  Where  it  can  be  successfully  grown  there  is 
no  doubt  that  American  Beauty  pays  as  well  or  better  than  any 
other  Rose.  The  first  year  1,000  plants  of  a  new  thing  may 
pay  $2.00  per  plant.  Two  years  later  5,000  or  10,000  plants 
of  this  variety  may  not  pay  more  than  half  as  much  per  plant 
per  year.  The  first  man  in  the  field  gets  the  best  results. 

WHAT  NUMBER  OF  ROSES  CAN  A  MAN  TAKE  CARE  OF? 

On  large  places  a  section  man  will  take  care  of  from  4000 
to  6000  plants.  This  depends  on  conditions.  Cheap  help  is 
given  to  clean  the  houses,  etc.,  on  some  places.  These  men  have 
their  regular  work  caring  for  the  plants  and  cutting  the  flowers, 
and  often  do  not  see  the  flowers  after  they  leave  the  houses,  the 
grading  and  shipping  being  done  by  separate  men.  The  firing, 
also,  is  done  by  regular  firemen,  one  or  more  through  the  daytime 
and  the  same  for  the  night  work,  in  addition  to  watchmen  who 
go  regularly  through  the  houses  and  attend  to  the  temperature. 

A  POOR  MAN  CANNOT  TAKE  CHANCES 

After  a  man  becomes  established  and  is  in  a  position  to  ex- 
periment a  little  it  is  well  to  try  a  few  of  the  new  varieties. 


GENERAL    REMARKS  133 

Take  all  the  new  kinds  and  try  a  few  of  each.  If  you  find  a 
good  one,  grow  one  or  two  thousand  of  it  the  next  year,  but 
never  go  into  an  uncertain  thing  too  heavily.  You  must  have 
enough  of  the  sure  things  on  the  place  to  make  good  any  loss 
you  may  sustain  over  the  others.  On  large  places  an  order  for 
10,000  plants  of  a  new  kind  is  not  uncommon. 

A  man  must  take  some  risk  if  he  is  anxious  to  make  money, 
or  to  try  new  kinds,  and  the  novelties  are  always  sought  by  the 
buyers  and  often  help  to  sell  the  common  stock. 

In  choosing  a  good  Rose  for  Winter  flowering  you  will 
find  that  varieties  with  a  rather  long,  pointed  bud,  will  develop 
best  in  the  dark  days.  Buds  hard  and  short,  like  a  flat  cabbage 
head,  are  best  in  the  Summer  time.  Take  two  good  buds  about 
ready  to  open  and  feel  the  difference;  the  former  kind,  having 
perhaps  thirty  petals,  will  feel  soft  and  yielding  to  the  touch, 
while  the  latter,  with  forty-five  petals,  will  be  very  hard  and 
slow  to  open. 

ALWAYS  BE  PREPARED  FOR  BAD  WEATHER 

The  need  of  fire  heat  in  the  Fall  depends  somewhat  on 
circumstances.  If  the  plants  are  not  soft,  and  if  the  houses 
are  not  over-charged  with  moisture,  no  harm  will  result  from 
one  or  two  cool  nights  without  fire  in  August.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  seeds  of  disease  are  often  sown  at  this  time  and  the 
good  grower  is  always  prepared  to  turn  on  steam  at  short 
notice.  If  the  plants  are  kept  too  cool  in  the  Fall  the  wood 
becomes  hard  and  the  plants  will  take  a  rest  from  which  it 
will  be  hard  to  get  them  started  again.  Aim  to  keep  the 
plants  moving  in  the  Fall  without  getting  them  too  soft.  It  is 
sometimes  advisable  to  rest  varieties  in  the  Winter  time  for 
certain  reasons.  Then  the  temperature  may  be  reduced  and 
also  the  water  supply.  As  a  rule,  the  higher  the  temperature 
carried  the  more  water  the  plants  will  require.  In  some  of 
our  Rose  factories  where  flowers  are  turned  out  daily  by  the 


134  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

10,000,  water  is  applied  more  or  less  heavily  at  the  roots  three 
times  weekly  during  the  growing  season. 

The  crops  may  be  easily  regulated  by  pinching  off  the  buds. 
Commence  on  the  back  bed  and  pinch  back,  take  the  next  one 
the  following  week  and  so  on  every  week  or  ten  days  as  re- 
quired. 

STOCK  MUST  BE  CAREFULLY  SOLD 

Always  aim  to  have  the  best  Roses  grown  in  your  market 
and  you  will  be  sure  of  customers  all  the  time. 

A  fair  average  cut  for  a  year  with  20,000  plants  in  mixed 
kinds  would  be  40  flowers  per  plant,  and  a  fair  price  would  be 
three  cents  per  flower  averaged  throughout  the  year.  The  cost 
of  selling  ranges  from  1%  to  20%  of  the  sales  according  to 
how  it  is  done.  Next  to  growing  well  and  at  the  lowest  cost, 
the  selling  of  the  stock  is  of  the  greatest  importance  and  should 
not  be  left  to  an  incompetent  or  unreliable  party. 

While  it  is  impossible  to  give  any  last  word  regarding 
modern  methods  of  commercial  Rose  growing  it  may  be  stated 
that  the  fundamental  principles  of  this  art  never  change.  The 
grower  who  can  take  advantage  of  his  knowledge  of  these,  and 
apply  his  wisdom  so  that  everything  works  together  to  the  end 
of  producing  the  largest  number  of  good  flowers  for  the  lowest 
cost,  will  be  the  most  successful. 


GENERAL    REMARKS 


135 


136 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


CHAPTER  XX 

GREENHOUSE     CONSTRUCTION     FOR     ROSE 
GROWING 

No.  1  is  an  outside  view  of  two  iron  frame  houses  of  the 
commercial  type,  20  feet  wide  and  50  feet  long,  set  ridge  and 
furrow,  one  of  the  houses  shown  being  used  for  growing 
Carnations  and  such  like  stock,  and  the  other  for  Roses  of  low 
growth  such  as  The  Bride,  Bridesmaid,  etc.  The  construction 
of  these  houses  consists  of  a  flat  iron  rafter,  set  every  8' 
3"  apart,  each  rafter  being  secured  to  a  cast  iron  foot 
piece,  set  in  concrete  below  grade.  The  rafters  are  joined 
together  by  means  of  angle  iron  roof  purlins  which  support  the 
wooden  roof  bars  between  the  iron  rafters.  The  eaves  of  the 
house  in  this  case  consist  of  a  cypress  eaves  plate,  but  the  same 
construction  of  house  could  be  furnished  with  either  an  iron  "X" 
or  an  angle  iron  eaves  plate,  either  of  which  is  more  desirable 
than  the  wood,  as  they  are  ice  clearing  and  prevent  the  accumu- 
lation of  snow  on  the  roof. 

Between  the  grade  and  wood  sill  in  this  case  double  board 
and  paper  are  used,  but,  in  many  instances,  concrete  or  hollow 
tile  is  found  much  more  desirable.  Where  the  houses  join  to- 
gether an  iron  gutter  supported  on  pipe  columns  is  used.  Each 
house  is  furnished  with  two  lines  of  continuous  roof  ventilation 
operated  with  standard  sash  opening  apparatus. 

The  benches  consist  of  cypress,  the  legs  and  bearers  being 
made  of  2"x4"  material  and  the  tops  and  sides  of  1"  thick 
material.  These  houses  were  glazed  with  16"x24"  double 
thick  "A"  glass,  set  the  16"  wide  way;  the  heating  apparatus 
consists  of  steam.  The  house  used  for  Roses  is  piped  to  main- 
tain a  temperature  of  55°  to  60°.  Of  course,  the  same  char- 


138 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


GREENHOUSE    CONSTRUCTION 


139 


140  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

acter  house  could  be  constructed  for  Roses  of  a  higher  growth 
by  making  the  sides  correspondingly  high. 

No.  2  is  an  interior  view  of  one  of  the  houses  given  here 
for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  arrangement  of  benches. 

Nos.  3  and  4  show  exterior  and  interior  views  of  a  large 
commercial  house  used  principally  for  growing  American 
Beauty  Roses.  This  house  also  consists  of  a  flat  iron  rafter 
frame,  the  rafters  being  spaced  about  8'  3''  apart  and  supported 
with  columns  as  shown  in  No.  4. 

This  house  is  35  feet  wide  and  317  feet  long.  In  this  in- 
stance, also,  wood  siding  was  used,  but  more  permanent  results 
could  be  obtained  through  the  use  of  concrete  or  tile,  which  is 
the  most  modern  method. 

In  this  case  solid  beds  were  used  about  2'  high.  These 
were  formed  by  the  use  of  2"  boards  secured  to  stakes  set  in  the 
ground.  The  heating  consists  of  hot  water,  a  temperature  of 
60°  being  maintained  when  the  outside  atmosphere  was  at  zero. 
This  house  gave  excellent  results  in  growing  American  Beauties. 
Nos.  5  and  6  show  exterior  and  interior  views  of  a  better 
quality  of  house.  This  house  is  18'  wide  and  50'  long,  with  a 
horizontal  partition  midway,  one  compartment  being  used  for 
growing  Roses  and  the  other  for  general  stock.  Every  bar  of 
this  house  consists  of  an  iron  bar  capped  with  wood  to  hold 
the  glass.  The  eaves  of  the  house  are  curved,  thus  doing  away 
with  the  heavy  eaves  plate  and  so  decreasing  the  shadow  in  the 
house.  The  strength  of  the  bar  is  such  that  glass  24"  wide 
may  be  used.  This  construction  gives  a  house  of  the  greatest 
strength,  with  maximum  light  and,  for  flower  production,  is 
by  far  the  best  type  of  construction. 

This  house  may  be  made  of  any  width  or  height  and  can 
be  composed  of  one  or  the  other  of  the  two  types  of  construc- 
tion on  the  market  today  adapted  for  this  purpose,  either  the 
Pierson  "U"-Bar  or    Payne  "T"-Bar    constructions.     Where 
short  curved  eaves  of  this  character  is  used  it  is  better  to  employ 


GREENHOUSE    CONSTRUCTION 


141 


142 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE   CULTURE 


GREENHOUSE    CONSTRUCTION 


143 


the  all  steel  construction  as  described,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  where  flat  iron  rafter  houses  are  used  there  is  a  certain 
amount  of  weakness  between  the  iron  rafters.  In  the  construc- 
tion of  this  house,  iron  frame  beds  with  cypress  sides  and  tile 
bottoms  were  used.  The  heating  consisted  of  hot  water,  the 
Rose  house  being  warmed  to  a  temperature  of  55°  to  60°.  The 
all  steel  makes  an  exceptionally  durable  structure  and,  as  there 
is  practically  no  wood  inside,  it  can  be  easily  kept  free  of  vermin 
and  fungous  growth  and  is,  therefore,  the  most  desirable  char- 
acter of  house  for  Rose  growing.  The  height  of  the  sides  can 
be  regulated  according  to  the  character  of  Roses  to  be  grown. 


ROSE  SUNRISE 


CHAPTER  XXI 

STEAM  HEATING  AND  ENGINEERING 

AS  fuel  and  steam  heating  play  such  an  important  part  in 
Rose  growing  it  has  been  thought  advisable  to  include 
a  chapter  on  this  subject  in  this  book.  It  will  be  my  aim  to 
present  this  in  such  a  simple  form  that  it  may  be  understood  by 
the  beginner,  for  I  realize  that  experts  have  no  need  of  this 
knowledge. 

The  three  elements  of  Nature  which  we  must  understand 
in  steam  engineering  are  air,  water,  and  fuel. 

AIR,  WATER  AND  FUEL — 1,  AIR 

Air  is  composed  principally  of  the  three  gases,  nitrogen, 
oxygen  and  carbonic  acid  gas,  in  the  following  proportions: 
nitrogen,  four  parts,  oxygen,  one  part,  with  a  slight  admixture 
of  carbonic  acid  gas. 

The  most  important  of  these  is  oxygen,  for,  without  it,  we 
could  not  live,  neither  could  combustion  be  maintained. 

The  atmosphere  has  a  pressure  or  weight  of  14.7  (14TV) 
Ibs.  per  square  inch  at  the  sea  level.  The  higher  we  ascend  in 
the  air  the  less  the  pressure  becomes.  The  displacement  of  the 
air  causes  the  water  to  rise  in  a  pump  or  siphon.  When  filling 
a  boiler  with  water  the  air  cocks  or  valves  should  be  opened  at 
the  highest  point  to  allow  the  air  to  escape. 

A  vacuum  is  a  space  from  which  all  the  air  has  been  removed 
and  this  system  of  heating  is  in  use  at  some  establishments.  Air 
that  is  confined  (called  dead  air)  is  a  good  non-conductor  of 
heat  or  cold,  while  air  in  circulation  will  heat  or  cool  a  room. 


STEAM    HEATING   AND   ENGINEERING  145 

2,  WATER 

Water  is  composed  of  oxygen  and  hydrogen;  it  is  com- 
pressible and  elastic,  but  the  change  is  very  minute  and  has  no 
practical  consequence.  A  column  of  fresh  water  27.71  (27  Ty^) 
inches  high,  at  a  temperature  of  62  degrees  Fahr.,  would 
exert  a  pressure,  at  the  bottom,  of  one  pound,  while  at  the 
same  temperature  a  column  of  fresh  water  33.947  (33  yVbir) 
feet  high,  would  have  a  pressure  of  one  atmospheres 
14.7  Ibs.,  per  square  inch  at  the  base.  Water  is  815  times 
heavier  than  air  at  the  sea  level  with  a  mean  temperature,  56 
degrees  Fahr.  Fresh  water  will  boil  in  a  vacuum  at  a  tempera- 
ture of  72  degrees  Fahr.;  in  the  open  air  at  sea  level  at  212 
degreees  Fahr.;  and  under  a  pressure  of  15  Ibs.  per  square  inch 
at  a  temperature  of  234  degrees  Fahr. 

Water  is  the  heaviest,  or  at  its  greatest  density,  at  about  39 
degrees  Fahr. ;  at  this  point  it  will  expand  with  either  heat  or 
cold.  From  this  fact  it  is  evident  that  there  is  a  point  on  either 
side  of  this  temperature  where  the  water  has  the  same  weight, 
and  this  point  is  reached  when  the  water  is  at  32  degrees  and  47 
degrees  Fahr. 

Water  will  expand  in  rising  from  60  degrees  Fahr.  to  212 
degrees  (its  boiling  point)  21-4  per  cent,  in  volume.  On  ac- 
count of  its  solvent  power  water  is  never  obtained  pure  except 
when  freshly  distilled.  It  dissolves  minerals,  vegetables  and 
gases.  It  holds  foreign  matter  in  suspension  and  in  solution. 
The  particles  held  in  suspension  can  be  filtered  out.  The  mat- 
ter held  in  solution  can  only  be  separated  by  evaporation.  Salt 
in  water  raises  the  temperature  of  the  boiling  and  lowers  that 
of  the  freezing  point. 

3,  FUEL 

The  third  point  to  be  considered  is  fuel.  Artificial  heat  is 
in  the  most  common  form  derived  through  the  combining  of  the 


146  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

two  gases,  oxygen  and  hydrogen,  with  carbon,  which  is  a  solid. 
The  two  elementary  bodies  which  give  the  heating  power 
to  all  fuels  are  carbon  and  hydrogen.  It  is  said  that  one  pound 
of  carbon  will  heat  14.220  Ibs  of  water  1  degree  Fahr.,  while 
one  pound  of  hydrogen  will  heat  52.155  Ibs.  of  water  1  degree 
Fahr.  A  unit  of  heat  is  an  amount  of  heat  required  to  raise  one 
pound  of  water  one  degree  Fahr. 

Combustion  is  the  term  applied  to  the  process  of  burning, 
due  to  the  oxygen  of  the  air  passing  into  a  state  of  chemical 
union  with  the  carbon  and  hydrogen  of  the  fuel.  This  combina- 
tion always  generates  heat.  One  hundred  and  fifty-six  cubic 
feet  of  air  must  pass  through  the  grate  for  every  pound  of  coal 
consumed ;  about  one-fifth  part  of  this  air  is  oxygen. 

Some  grates  are  cast  with  insufficient  air  space.  It  is  said 
that  one-third  of  the  grate  should  consist  of  air  space.  Some 
firemen  wet  their  coal  for  the  reason  that  heat  resolves  the 
moisture  into  steam,  and  finally  into  carbonic  oxide  and  hy- 
drogen. If  the  draught  supplied  to  the  fire  is  sufficient,  both 
these  gases  will  burn. 

One  ton  of  average  coal  is  equal  to  two  cords  of  average 
wood  for  steaming  purposes.  Coal  is  divided  into  two  primary 
divisions:  anthracite,  or  hard  coal,  which  does  not  flame  when 
kindled,  and  bituminous,  or  soft  coal,  which  does.  The  reason 
is  the  soft  coal  contains  so  much  more  hydrogen  and  ignites  at 
so  low  a  temperature  that  it  flames  the  instant  it  touches  a  hot 
fire.  Anthracite  coal  sometimes  contains  as  high  as  94  per  cent, 
of  carbon.  As  this  element  decreases  in  amount  it  graduates 
into  a  bituminous  coal.  The  term  anthracite  is  applied  to  coal 
containing  80  per  cent,  or  over  of  carbon.  The  maximum 
consumption  of  coal  for  steam  boilers  is,  with  natural  draught, 
12  pounds  per  hour  for  each  square  foot  of  grate  surface. 

The  value  of  any  fuel  is  measured  by  the  number  of  heat 
units  which  its  combustion  will  generate.  The  two  sources  of 
waste  in  fuel  burned  under  steam  boilers  are,  first,  the  gases 


STEAM    HEATING   AND   ENGINEERING 


147 


148  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

going  to  waste  up  the  chimney;  in  some  cases  this  averages  30 
per  cent,  while,  under  the  best  conditions,  it  is  12  per  cent. 
It  is  very  important  to  always  keep  tubes  and  flues  thoroughly 
clean  as  the  heat  is  then  absorbed  by  the  boiler  instead  of  going 
up  the  chimney  to  waste.  The  other  source  of  waste  is  in 
systems  where  cold  water  has  to  be  often  fed  to  the  boilers; 
where  the  water  can  be  returned  to  the  boilers  hot  without  loss, 
a  great  saving  in  coal  is  effected. 

Greenhouses  are  generally  heated  by  low  pressure  steam 
which  means  a  pressure  of  less  than  15  pounds  per  square  inch. 
This  is  the  most  economical  form,  as  the  relative  volume  of 
steam  decreases  faster  than  the  temperature  increases  as  the 
pressure  rises. 

CARE  OF  THE  BOILER 

Horizontal  return  tubular  boilers  are  commonly  used  for 
steam  heating;  these,  when  properly  set  in  brick,  will  last  for 
years  and  give  good  results.  The  furnace  is  the  space  above  the 
grate  where  the  fire  lies.  The  fire  sheet  is  the  sheet  or  part  of 
the  boiler  directly  over  the  fire.  The  ash  pit  is  the  space  below 
the  grate  and  it  is  important  to  keep  this  cleaned  out  every  day 
or  the  accumulation  of  ashes  will  obstruct  the  passage  of  air 
through  the  grate  and  also  cause  the  burning  out  of  the  grate. 
The  bridge  wall  is  the  wall  at  the  back  end  of  the  grate,  in  the 
style  of  boiler  we  are  considering.  This  wall  is  to  keep  the 
coal  from  falling  off  the  back  part  of  the  grate  and  to  force  the 
flame  up  to  the  bottom  of  the  boiler;  also,  when  the  doors  are 
opened  to  put  on  fresh  fuel,  it  reduces  the  amount  of  cold  air 
that  will  be  drawn  in  under  the  boiler  back  through  the  tubes 
and  up  the  chimney. 

The  combustion  chamber  is  the  space  back  of  the  bridge 
wall.  All  boilers  should  be  provided  with  a  blow-off  pipe  at 
the  bottom,  which  should  be  opened  once  or  twice  a  week  to 
clean  out  any  sediment  which  may  accumulate.  The  safety  or 


STEAM    HEATING   AND   ENGINEERING 


149 


•  £ 

•n      j"v        •    \ 


ROSE  Bosr  SILENE 
Very  small  buds.  An  old  variety  but  still  popular  with  customers 

in  the  best  stores 
Courtesy  W.  3.  Palmer  &  Son,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 


150  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

fusible  plug  is  placed  at  the  low  water  line  in  a  boiler;  this  is 
a  few  inches  above  the  top  of  the  tubes;  if  the  water  gets  below 
this  the  plug  will  melt  and,  through  the  escaping  water  or  steam 
behind  the  boiler,  an  alarm  would  be  given  to  the  fireman.  The 
manhole  at  the  top  of  the  boiler  is  for  the  purpose  of  entering 
to  examine  and  clean,  inspect  or  repair  it.  The  hand  holes 
are  the  small  openings  for  cleaning  and  inspecting  the  boilers. 
These  should  be  opened  every  season  and  the  bottom  of  the 
boiler  inspected  and  swabbed  out  with  a  cloth  or  brush  on  a 
pole,  and  washed  out  with  a  nozzle  on  the  end  of  the  hose.  The 
heating  surface  of  a  boiler  is  the  portion  exposed  to  the  fire 
which  must,  of  course,  always  be  covered  with  water.  If  any 
dirt  accumulates  on  the  bottom  of  a  boiler  the  water  is  kept 
away  and  the  fire  will  burn  this  part,  causing  a  sag  or  uneven 
place  in  the  plate;  this,  in  turn,  makes  a  hollow  place  for  the 
dirt  to  lodge  and  has  to  be  watched  very  carefully  or  the  boiler 
will  soon  be  ruined. 

THE  GRATE 

From  four  to  five  feet  in  length  of  grate  bars  gives  the  best 
results  with  this  type  of  boiler,  and  shaking  grates  are  much 
better  than  stationary  ones,  from  the  fact  that  they  break  up 
the  fire  and  do  not  allow  of  clinkers  being  produced  and,  most 
important,  being  operated  without  opening  the  fire  doors  to 
admit  so  much  cold  air,  they  do  not  cause  such  a  cooling  off 
of  the  boiler  plates.  The  fire  is  also  kept  more  level  on  the 
grate,  as  it  should  be.  On  some  of  our  largest  places  the  station- 
ary grates  are  being  torn  out  and  shaking  grates  installed  in 
their  place;  the  saving  in  fuel  in  one  or  two  seasons  is  said  to 
offset  the  outlay. 

The  horse  power  of  a  boiler  is  three  times  the  square  feet 
of  grate  surface  with  natural  draught.  The  space  left  over  the 
bridge  wall  under  a  return  tubular  boiler  should  be  eighteen 
square  inches  of  space  per  horse  power  of  the  boiler.  The  area 
of  the  chimney  should  be  about  one-eighth  the  area  of  the  grate. 


STEAM    HEATING   AND   ENGINEERING 


151 


ROSE  SAFRAXO 
A  very  old  variety,  but  still  popular  in  stores  where  novelties  are 


Courtesy  W.   J.   Palmer 


in  demand 

Son,   Buffalo,  N.   Y. 


152  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

In  starting  a  fire  under  a  boiler  where  everything  is  cold  a  small 
fire  should  be  carried  for  awhile  so  that  everything  may  be 
warmed  slowly  or  there  is  danger  of  unequal  expansion  and 
injury  to  the  boiler.  Also,  in  a  brick  set  boiler,  if  for  any 
cause  it  is  shut  down  and  the  water  is  to  be  blown  off,  do  not 
attempt  this  until  several  hours  after  the  fire  is  out  and  the  brick- 
work has  had  time  to  cool  off  somewhat. 

THE  SAFETY  VALVE  AND  WATER  GLASS 

The  most  important  fixture  on  a  steam  boiler  is  the  safety 
valve;  if  this  is  of  sufficient  size  and  in  good  working  order 
there  is  no  possibility  of  getting  an  over  pressure  of  steam.  The 
safety  valve  should  have  one  square  inch  area  for  every  two 
square  feet  of  grate  surface.  It  should  be  tried  at  frequent 
intervals  by  gently  raising  with  the  hand  on  heating  boilers  and, 
on  pressure  boilers,  the  steam  should  be  run  up  to  the  blowing 
off  point  when,  if  it  does  not  start,  it  will  have  to  be  gently 
started  by  hand.  There  is  generally  about  three  pounds  dif- 
ference between  the  opening  and  closing  of  a  safety  valve  from 
the  fact  that  there  is  a  greater  surface  exposed  to  the  steam 
when  it  is  open.  A  pop  or  spring  safety  valve,  which  is  locked 
so  that  no  one  can  tamper  with  it,  is  the  safest  to  use. 

In  case  a  safety  valve  gets  stuck,  and  the  steam  is  found  too 
high,  or  in  any  case  where  we  suddenly  want  to  do  away  with 
the  heat  under  a  boiler,  close  the  dampers  and  cover  the  fire 
with  ashes  or  fine  coal ;  this  will  cool  it  off  more  quickly  than 
the  old  way  of  drawing  the  fire.  Afterward,  if  necessary,  the 
fire  can  be  drawn.  In  case  the  safety  valve  is  stuck  do  not  at- 
tempt to  release  it  until  the  pressure  is  down  to  normal,  then 
gently  raise  it  with  the  hand.  If  raised  when  the  pressure  is  too 
high  steam  would  be  rapidly  disengaged  from  the  water  and  the 
strain  on  the  boiler  will  be  greater  than  if  it  was  left  alone. 

The  water  glass  and  gauge  cocks  are  for  the  purpose  of 
showing  the  height  of  water  in  the  boiler  and  should  be  blown 


STEAM    HEATING   AND    ENGINEERING  153 

out  every  day.  Close  both  the  upper  and  the  lower  valve  in 
turn,  and  blow  the  water  or  steam  out  through  the  cock  at  the 
bottom  of  the  glass;  also  blow  out  the  three  try  cocks  in  the 
water  column.  If  a  water  glass  breaks,  close  the  valve  at  the 
bottom  of  the  glass  first  and  then  close  the  upper  one ;  there  is 
not  so  much  danger  of  getting  burned  in  this  way. 

BOILER  TROUBLES 

Foaming  in  a  boiler  is  shown  by  the  jumping  up  and  down 
of  the  water  in  the  glass  and  is  caused  by  dirty  water  and  by- 
forcing  a  boiler  beyond  its  capacity.  It  can  be  remedied  by 
cleaning  out  the  boiler  as  soon  as  possible.  Care  should  be  taken 
that  water  does  not  leak  down  on  to  the  outside  of  a  boiler;  if 
this  happens  corrosion  will  take  place  in  a  short  time. 

Boiler  tubes  should  be  scraped  out  occasionally  as  a  thin 
carbonaceous  scale  is  liable  to  form  which  results  in  a  great 
waste  of  fuel.  This  scraping  is  in  addition  to  the  brush  or  to 
the  blowing  out  with  a  jet  of  steam.  It  is  estimated  that  15 
per  cent,  more  fuel  is  used  in  a  dirty  boiler  than  in  a  clean 
one  to  obtain  the  same  amount  of  heat. 

THE  CHIMNEY 

To  get  the  best  results  from  a  chimney  every  bit  of  air  that 
enters  it  should  pass  through  the  grates.  Round  chimneys  are 
better  than  square  ones  for  the  gases  ascend  in  a  spiral  motion. 
In  their  construction  brick  is  better  than  iron,  for  the  current 
does  not  get  cooled  off  so  much  in  its  ascent. 

FEEDING  THE  BOILER 

Be  careful  wrhen  feeding  cold  water  into  a  boiler  to  do  so 
very  slowly  as  the  cold  water  is  heavier  than  hot  and  settles  to 
the  bottom  of  the  boiler.  In  theory  this  is  bad  for  the  plates, 
but  in  practice  it  is  perhaps  impossible  to  cool  off  a  boiler  with 
a  fire  underneath  it.  The  water  should  always  be  carried  at  a 
uniform  height  in  a  boiler  and  there  should  never  be  less  than 


154  COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 

three  inches  of  water  above  the  top  of  the  upper  row  of  tubes. 
If  a  tube  should  split,  or  become  pitted  so  that  it  leaks,  a  dry 
Pine  plug  may  be  driven  into  either  end,  when  it  may  be  run 
for  a  day  or  two  until  a  new  tube  can  be  put  in. 

Wetting  down  ashes  and  clinkers  close  to  the  boiler  front 
will  cause  corrosion  of  the  boiler  metal  and  do  harm.  Coal 
which  contains  much  sulphur  will  form  an  acid  and  corrode 
the  plates.  Any  cracks  in  the  brick  setting  of  a  boiler  should  be 
pointed  up  as  they  admit  air,  chilling  the  boiler  and  cooling  off 
the  gases. 

To  prevent  the  gaskets  from  sticking  to  the  hand  and  man- 
hole plates  coat  them  on  both  sides  with  graphite  or  plumbago 
and  oil.  A  good  putty  for  joints  is  made  by  mixing  white 
lead  ground  in  oil  with  dry  red  lead  into  which  a  little  asbestos 
may  be  worked  if  it  is  to  be  used  near  the  fire. 

g<r-  -•       i      •••'.'•  '"""••  *-j-  •"'  "- 

THE  ART  OF  FIRING 

When  firing,  feed  with  coal  little  and  often;  keep  a  level 
fire  about  six  inches  thick;  a  fire  too  heavy  is  wasteful,  for  the 
air  is  not  so  well  able  to  get  through  the  grate.  Avoid  holes  in 
the  fire  and  keep  it  clean  so  that  it  looks  bright  the  whole 
distance  in  the  ash  pit  with  the  heaviest  fire  toward  the  back. 

If  too  hot  a  fire  is  carried  at  the  front  there  is  the  liability 
of  burning  the  furnace  doors  and,  also,  if  the  brickwork  over 
the  arches  is  not  in  good  repair  there  is  the  danger  of  burning 
out  the  dry  sheet  which  is  the  sheet  outside  the  part  contain- 
ing the  water.  Some  types  of  boilers  do  not  have  this  over- 
hanging dry  sheet. 

Burn  the  fires  down  as  low  as  possible  in  the  morning ;  clean 
them  and  push  the  fire  back  up  to  the  bridge  wall,  then  bank  it 
with  fine  coal  and  keep  all  the  doors  shut.  If  any  gas  is  noticed 
the  damper  in  the  chimney  may  be  opened  slightly.  Some  fire- 
men leave  the  furnace  doors  open  all  day;  this  wastes  the  heat 
and  does  harm  to  the  boiler  plates  by  admitting  so  much  cold  air, 


STEAM    HEATING   AND   ENGINEERING 


155 


causing  it  to  take  a  much  longer  time  to  get  up  steam  in  the 
afternoon.  When  steam  is  required,  open  the  draught,  after  a 
few  minutes,  when  the  fire  is  burned  enough,  spread  it  evenly 
over  the  grate  and  cover  lightly  all  over  with  fresh  coal.  In 
this  way  steam  may  be  gotten  up  in  from  ten  to  twenty  minutes 
after  starting  the  fire. 


ROSE  STYLOSA 


CHAPTER  XXII 

HOT  WATER  HEATING 

THE  improvements  in  this  method  of  heating  have  been 
so  great  during  the  past  few  years  that  this  system 
is  worthy  of  careful  consideration.  The  advantages  of  hot 
water  over  steam  heating  are  stated  by  those  who  favor  this 
method  to  be  as  follows:  Economical  operation,  even  heat, 
perfect  control,  absolute  safety,  and  that  it  can  be  operated 
with  low  fires  and  will  maintain  an  even  and  steady  tempera- 
ture with  less  attention  than  steam. 

Hot  water  is  now  being  used  extensively  as  a  medium  of 
heating  greenhouses  for  all  kinds  of  crops,  and,  of  late  years, 
many  large  Rose  establishments  are  being  heated  in  this  man- 
ner. When  used  for  Rose  growing,  it  should  be  arranged  in 
small  units  of  radiation,  and  at  this  time  it  is  the  practice  to 
control  each  and  every  return  line  by  independent  gate  valves. 
With  gravity  circulation  you  can  heat  coils  up  to  250  feet 
in  length ;  with  forced  circulation  there  is  no  limit  to  the 
length  of  houses  or  size  of  the  plant  to  be  heated  by  hot  water. 

Any  size  of  pipe  may  be  used,  but  the  ideal  piping  systems  of 
today  are  2-in.  and  4-in.,  and  large  flows  with  2-in.  returns. 
The  following  sizes  of  piping  can  be  employed,  if  desired: 
For  houses  up  to  100  feet  in  length,  1^4 -in.  returns;  for  houses 
up  to  150  feet  in  length,  1^-in.,  and  up  to  250  feet  in  length, 
2-in.  returns. 

With  hot  water  heating  you  require  an  open  expansion  tank 
for  a  gravity  system,  and  for  a  system  to  work  under  pressure, 
a  good  sized  closed  tank,  elevated  several  feet  higher  than  the 
highest  point  of  the  system,  and  so  located  as  to  make  direct 
connection  with  the  main  return  near  the  boiler. 


HOT    WATER    HEATING 


157 


158 


COMMERCIAL  ROSE   CULTURE 


Interior  of  Rose  house  showing  hot  water  heating  system 

Courtesy  Kroeschell  Bros.   Co..   Chicago,  111. 


HOT   WATER   HEATING  159 

It  is  not  within  my  province  to  recommend  any  particular 
make  of  generator,  circulator,  or  pump,  but  I  would  advise, 
as  a  means  of  saving  money  in  the  end,  that  you  consult  a  re- 
liable firm  of  greenhouse  heating  engineers  and  get  them  to 
figure  on  your  requirements. 

The  returns  should  have  a  steady  pitch  back  to  the  boiler 
of  about  10  in.  in  100  feet,  and  there  should  be  no  low  places  or 
pockets  in  the  system.  Vents  should  also  be  placed  at  the 
highest  points  in  a  pressure  system  to  allow  the  air  to  escape. 
Water  in  a  common  gravity  or  open  circuit  system  cannot  be 
heated  above  212  deg.  F.,  while  water  at  15  Ibs.  pressure  will  be 
234  deg.  F. 

I  have  personally  had  little  experience  with  hot  water  heating, 
but  the  modern  system  is  so  well  liked  and  so  highly  recom- 
mended by  parties  who  are  using  it,  that  it  is  well  worth 
considering.  The  best  type  of  boiler  for  this  purpose  is  the 
saddle  back,  as  this  type  holds  a  very  small  volume  of  water, 
and  it  has  an  immense  amount  of  direct  heating  surface,  there- 
fore heats  up  very  quickly,  and  it  is  claimed  that  it  operates 
more  economically  than  any  other  type  of  boiler  construction 
known.  There  is  really  no  comparison  between  the  old  fash- 
ioned gravity  system  with  its  clumsy  4-in.  pipes  and  leaky 
joints,  and  the  modern  pressure  system  with  small  threaded 
pipes  and  rapid,  forced  circulation.  It  would  certainly  be  wise 
for  the  smaller  places,  where  no  regular  night  fireman  is  em- 
ployed, to  consider  this  method  of  heating. 

The  accompanying  illustrations  show  better  than  words  can 
describe  a  few  of  the  places  being  heated  today  with  hot  water. 
This  would  seem  to  be  sufficient  demonstration  of  the  capa- 
bility of  this  system. 


160 


COMMERCIAL   ROSE    CULTURE 


CLASSIFIED  INDEX 

PAGE 

Air,  Composition  of   144 

American  Beauty  Rose: 

Culture,   Propagation    95 

Planting,  Syringing,  Pinching   96 

Cutting  Back,  Fertilizers,  Temperature 98 

Grafted  on  Manetti    98 

Beds,  Solid,  Construction  of 59 

Beetles 76 

Benches,   Construction  of 59 

Black  Mildew    84 

Black   Spot 82 

Boilers: 

Where  to  place  18 

Care  of   148 

Grate    150 

Safety  Valve  and  Water  Glass    152 

Boiler   Troubles,   Feeding   Boiler    153 

Bonemeal  90 

Budding,    Propagation    by    38, 40 

Building  and  Equipment,  Cost  of 117 

Canker   84 

Carbonate  of  Copper 87 

Caterpillars 77 

Chafers    77 

Chimney,   The    153 

Climbing    Roses 116 

Cow    Manure     14, 89 

Cultivation  of  Rose  Plants   63,  64 

Curved  Eave  Houses,  Construction  of   140 

Cutting  Roses   120 

Record  of  Daily  Cut   122 

Cyanide  of  Potassium    87 

Disbudding     63, 114, 134 

Eel   Worms    127 

Exhibiting  Roses,  Preparation  for  124 

Fertilizers    89,  90,  92,  93,  94 


162  INDEX 

PAGE 

Firing,   The   Art  of    154 

Forcing  Hybrids  in  Pots  or  Boxes 126 

Forcing  Ramblers    106, 109 

Fuel,  Composition  of   145 

Fumigating  75 

Fungous  Diseases  80,  82, 83,  84 

Glass— Size,  How  to  Lay 18 

Grading,  Cost  of   12 

Grading  Roses  23,  120 

Grafting,  Propagation  by 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38 

Grafting  Case,  Construction  of  32 

Grates 150 

Green  Fly 71 

Greenhouse   Construction: 

Where  to  Build,  Size,  Builders 16 

Material  18 

Views  and  Descriptions  of 137,  138,  139,  140,  141,  142,  143 

Heating: 

Hot  Water  156, 159 

Steam  144 

Hellebore 85 

Hot  Water  Heating 156, 159 

Hybrids  for  Forcing  in  Pots  or  Boxes 126 

Hybridizing    41,  42, 45 

Hybrid  Tea   Roses    116 

Insect    Pests     71,  74,  76,  77,  78 

Insecticides    and    Fungicides    85,86,87,88 

Iron  Frame  Houses,  Construction  of 137 

Kerosene  Emulsion   85 

Land  Suitable  for  Rose  Houses    12 

Leaf  Roller    77 

Lime     92 

Manetti  Stock: 

For    Grafting    31 

For    Budding    38 

Rose   Seedlings   Inarched   on 51 

American  Beauty  Rose  Grafted  on 98 

Manure: 

Cow 14, 89 

Sheep    93 


INDEX  163 

PAGE 

Marketing  Roses    121 

Measure  for  Grading  Roses    23 

Mildew     82 

Nitrate  of  Soda   93 

Outdoor    Roses : 

Choosing  Location,  Soil,  Fertilizer,  Planting 110 

Planting  Own  Root,  Grafted  Stock 112 

Hybrid  Teas,  Hybrid  Perpetuals,  Pruning 112 

Diseases,    Spraying    113 

Disbudding     114 

Own  Root  Propagation    24, 26, 27, 28, 30 

Own  Root  Roses    22 

Packing   Roses    121 

Pinching   off   Buds    63,114,134 

Piping   for  Hot  Water  Heating   156 

Plant,  What  to: 

Popular  Varieties,  Number  of  Plants 20 

Plant,   When   to 22 

Planting,   Method   of    61 

Poisoning  with  Fertilizers  and  Insecticides 118 

Propagation: 

By  Seedling  and  by  Budding 38, 40 

Seedling-Inarch  and  Nurse-Plant  Methods  of 48,55 

Propagation,  Own  Root: 

Selection  of  Cuttings,   One,   Two,   and   More   Eye  Cuttings, 

Method  of  Trimming    26 

Watering     27 

Potting  Rooted  Cuttings 28 

Soil,  Fertilizer,  Size  of  Pots,  Watering 28 

Repotting  into  larger  pots    30 

Propagation    by    Grafting: 

Selection  of  Manetti  Stock,  Potting,  Soil,  Fertilizer 31 

Treatment    and    Temperature     32 

Grafting  Case,  Construction  of 32 

Grafting,  When,  How,  and  Treatment  of  Plants 35,36,37,38 

Propagating  House: 

Size,   Situation,   Ventilation 26 

Construction  of  Benches,  Sand,  Temperature 26 

Pruning    Rose    Plants    70 


164  INDEX 

PAGE 

Rambler   Roses : 

Best  varieties    100 

Propagating  Rooted  Cuttings   103 

Methods  of  Training,   Feeding,  Watering,  Forcing 106 

Forcing  Baby  Ramblers    109 

Roses,  Outdoor,  See  Outdoor  Roses. 
Roses,  Climbing,  See  Climbing  Roses 

Rose  Plants,  Cultivation  of  63,  64 

Rose  Plants,  Pruning 70 

Roses,  Raising  from  Seed 46,  47 

Rose  Plants,  Resting   69 

Red  Spider   71 

Repotting    Roses    132 

Root    Galls    127 

Rust    83 

Sales   Sheet   for  Office    123 

Seed,   Raising  Roses   from    46, 47 

Seedling,  Propagation  by    38, 40 

Seedlings,   Inarching   53 

Sheep    Manure    93 

Shipping    Roses    121 

Soil: 

Storing     19 

Selection  of,  for  Planting 56 

How  to   Fill   Houses  with 60 

Solid  Beds,  Construction  of 59 

Soot    90 

Staking    .' 64 

Steam  Heating  and  Engineering,  144, 145, 146, 148, 150, 152, 153, 154, 155 

Temperature : 

For  Hybrids  for   Forcing  in  Pots  or  Boxes 126 

Night   Record    125 

For    General   Run   of    Roses 70 

Sulphate    of    Ammonia 94 

Sulphate   of  Copper    87 

Sulphur     85 

Syringing 74,  82 

Thrips    7* 

Valve,   Safety    • 152 


INDEX  165 

PAGE 

Varieties,  Popular,  to  Plant   20 

Ventilation 18,  68 

Vitriol,  Blue 87 

Water,    Composition    of 145 

Water   Glass    152 

Water  Supply  in  Greenhouse   12 

Watering     64, 128 

White    Grub    77 

Wood    Ashes    .  .  90 


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